"And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root." (Isaiah 11:1)
Today's first reading is the primary biblical source for why the Messiah would come from Nazareth and be a Nazarene (that is, a flower); and also for the Jesse tree tradition.
Mary came as a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and Jesus is the bud that has blossomed from her.
Listen online [here]!
The theme of this year's Advent retreat was how the saints of Advent and through the whole year help us to enter more fully into the Christian mystery and the Catholic life.
December 8th is a Holy Day of Obligation, the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
Masses are;
Sunday, Dec 7 at 5:30pm
Monday, Dec 8 at 7am to 7:40am
Monday, Dec 8 at 5:30pm to 7pm (incense)
St Andrew is a great Advent saint, with the first Sunday of Advent being the Sunday closest to his feast day.
Andrew and John the Evangelist are the two great disciples of John the Baptist, and their feasts are the opening and closing of Advent season - while St John the Baptist is the solemn cry which personifies Advent.
This sermon continues our series of sermons on the Apostles - others can be found [here]!
Listen online [here]!
In this final session of our series on the Maccabees, we discuss the feast of the seven martyred brothers of the Maccabees and also the use of the books of Maccabees in the readings of Mass and the Divine Office (TLM and Novus Ordo).