Author Archives: Kate Mathis
This is Christian hope!
December 8
“The exhortation to be watchful resounds many times in the liturgy, especially in Advent, a season of preparation not only for Christmas, but also for Christ’s definitive and glorious coming at the end of time. It therefore has a distinctly eschatological meaning and invites the believer to spend every day and every moment in the presence of the One ‘who is and who was and who is come’ (Revelation 1:4), to whom the future of the world and of man belongs. This is Christian hope!”
-Pope St. John Paul II
Let us go joyfully
December 7
“In Advent we await an event which occurs in history and at the same time transcends it… The exhortation that rings out in today’s liturgy: ‘Let us go joyfully to meet the Lord’ spreads to all countries, to all continents, among every people and nation.” -Pope St. John Paul II
He will take us to Himself
December 6
“… But let us not think of that advent only whereby the Son of man has ‘come to seek and to save that which was lost,’ but also of that other by which He will come again and will take us to Himself.”
-Bernard of Clairvaux
Testimonial: Called Together to Pray and to Serve
In November 2024, St. Vincent Parish in Wildwood, Florida hosted an Advent retreat with Jonnette Benkovic Williams as their speaker. Many volunteers and staff members worked together to make this retreat a success. A special thank you goes out to Pastor Fr. Kenny, new parish Director of Faith Formation Maria Luz, and Nancy Elhajj (Regional Coordinator with Women of Grace).
So great a consolation
December 5
“It is fitting, my brethren, that we should celebrate this season of Advent with all possible devotion, rejoicing in so great a consolation, marveling at so great a condescension, inflamed with love by so great a manifestation of charity…”
-St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Advent is a time for hope
December 4
“This time of Advent is a time for hope. These great horizons of our Christian vocation, this unity of life built on the presence of God our Father, can and ought to be a daily reality. Ask our Lady, along with me, to make it come true.”
-St. Josemaría Escrivá
Imagine how Our Lady spent this time
December 3
“Try to imagine how she [Our Lady] spent these months, waiting for her Son to be born. And our Lady, Holy Mary, will make of you alter Christus, ipse Christus: another Christ, Christ himself!”
-St. Josemaría Escrivá
He wants us to love him
December 2
“Jesus wants to see us dedicated, faithful, responsive. He wants us to love him. It is his desire that we be holy, very much his own.”
-St. Josemaría Escrivá
On this first Sunday of Advent
December 1
“On this first Sunday of Advent, when we begin to count the days separating us from the birth of the Savior… we have considered the reality of our Christian vocation: how our Lord has entrusted us with the mission of attracting other souls to sanctity, encouraging them to get close to him, to feel united to the Church, to extend the kingdom of God to all hearts. Jesus wants to see us dedicated, faithful, responsive.”
-St. Josemaría Escrivá
