Podcast appearances and mentions of Saint Joseph

Read OnlineWhen the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. Matthew 2:13–14Today we honor and ponder the family life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The love within their home exceeded that of any other household, and the love within their family poured forth upon their extended family and wider community. Scripture gives us limited details about the life of the Holy Family. What we do know is that from the very beginning, they suffered through enormous challenges.Mary's pregnancy was the first challenge they faced. She conceived the Christ Child before she and Joseph lived together. Though she knew how she conceived the Son of God, Joseph did not understand until the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. We can imagine that relatives and members of the community expressed their disapproval, given that the angel of the Lord did not reveal the truth to everyone.Jesus was born far away from their home, in the little town of Bethlehem, in a cave, where animals dwelt. Humble shepherds were their first guests, and the magi from the East soon followed. Within a year or two after Jesus' birth, this family had to uproot from their home and flee to Egypt, find accommodations, and earn a living because Herod sought to kill the child Jesus.After Herod's death, Joseph was instructed in two subsequent dreams that he could return to Israel and was to move his family to the small and unremarkable village of Nazareth. Though Nazareth was not held in high esteem, it was within this simple setting that Jesus was raised and learned the virtues of hard work, obedience, and humility. Nazareth, though overlooked by the world, became the sacred ground where the Savior of the world was prepared for His mission. Finally, given that Saint Joseph is not mentioned during the time that Jesus exercised His public ministry, it is commonly believed that Jesus and His mother experienced the human sorrow of Joseph's earthly death.Despite the hardships the Holy Family endured, the love in their home overshadowed every challenge, making their family life a source of the utmost consolation and joy. Amidst the trials they faced, the Holy Family found joy, not in worldly comforts, but in their deep union with God and with each other. Their home was a sanctuary of love, prayer, and mutual support, where God's presence was always felt. How fascinating it will be one day, in Heaven, if God reveals to us the details about the earthly and hidden life of the Holy Family. Though the angels witnessed their lives as they unfolded in time, we can hope and imagine that God, in His goodness, will share these mysteries with the saints, revealing the true beauty of the Holy Family's earthly life together. Their conversations, interactions, charity, prayer, fun, work, and all that made up their family life will be a source of eternal admiration and gratitude.Reflect today on the Holy Family. Ask God to give you insight into their lives together. As you do, use any insights as a source of inspiration for your own life and relationships with those closest to you. Though we will all fall short of the charity that permeated the home of the Holy Family, we can work to imitate them by allowing God to increase our charity toward one another. Through daily prayer, acts of sacrifice, and a commitment to love one another, we can create a family life that reflects the holiness and unity of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Your family life was holy beyond imagination. In your daily interactions, Your love was manifest and inspiring to each other and to Your relatives and friends. Please draw me into Your family life and teach me to love those in my family so that we will become a stronger community of love. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Angelica Kauffmann, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Today is December 21, 2025 - the 4th Sunday of Advent. Our celebrant was Fr. Christopher Tiano.We often think of Saint Joseph as a silent figure in the background of the Christmas story. But his "yes" was just as pivotal as Mary's. St. Thomas Aquinas suggested that Joseph didn't want to leave Mary out of doubt, but out of humility. He felt unworthy of the massive task God set before him. Sound familiar?Whether you're a new parent, starting a new job, or just trying to navigate a difficult season, we all face moments where we think, "I can't do this." Joseph shows us that God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.Permission to stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license # A-735133. All rights reserved.

Read OnlineWhile they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6–7 (Gospel from Mass During the Night)A loving mother and father who experience the birth of their first child receive insight into the sacredness and beauty of this scene. Though great mystery surrounds Jesus' conception within the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she was truly His mother, and He was truly her Son. Saint Joseph, knowing he was not this Child's biological father, made a profound act of faith by accepting that fatherly responsibility, as instructed in a dream by an angel of the Lord. Because of his faith and God-given mission, Joseph's commitment to being the father of the Son of God was one that only a most loving and devoted father would make. As we celebrate Christmas Day, we are reminded of the humility with which our Lord chose to enter the world. Jesus was born in a place where animals dwelt because Mary and Joseph were away from their home to register for the Roman census. At first glance, one might conclude that the physical environment, most likely a cave, was unfortunate. However, we can be certain that this humble and poor setting was part of God's divine plan, adding to the glory of that night. Christ, in His humility, chose this setting to reveal to us the true greatness of love.The poverty and humility of the cave and the manger—a feeding trough for animals—helped point to the sacredness of Jesus' birth. No glamor, no fancy or comfortable setting, only love. Pure love. The love in the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the devotion of Saint Joseph, and the Incarnate presence of the Son of God were everything needed to make that night glorious.One lesson we can learn from the Nativity of the Lord is that the beauty, peacefulness, and contentment of our lives are not dependent upon how much money or how many material possessions we have, but rather on the purity of our love. The Holy Family's hearts were perfectly fulfilled, not because of their surroundings, but because of their intimate union with God in the person of Jesus Christ.The presence of the Son of God in that place of poverty sheds light on the true riches we crave. The true treasures we seek are found not in wealth, comfort, or possessions, but in the love and grace of God. The Holy Family's witness reveals to us that when we place our hearts in God's hands, we will be filled with all we need. Reflect today on that most sacred, simple, and humble scene. As you do, try to imagine how humanly fulfilling that experience was for the Holy Family. Jesus was wrapped tightly in swaddling clothing, and He was adored with the greatest affection of His mother and foster father. Mary and Joseph's hearts contained all that was necessary for profound gratitude and fulfillment. If you struggle with being fulfilled, learn a lesson from the Holy Family and seek to imitate Mary and Joseph so that your love for our Incarnate Lord fills you with all you need. My Incarnate Lord, Your divine nature, united to Your human nature, transformed that humble cave near Bethlehem into a tabernacle filled with the most powerful bonds of pure love. Please draw me into that sacred scene and help me to share in the love in the Immaculate Heart of Your mother, as well as the human devotion of Your foster father, Joseph. May I find contentment and total fulfillment in life by seeing You and loving You in every way that You come to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Gerard van Honthorst, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Emmanuel: God With Us: Let the King of Glory Enter Today's Homily centers on the Advent call to welcome the King of Glory . . . . . . Emmanuel, God with us . . . through obedience and trust, rather than self-reliance. Drawing from Matthew's Gospel and the Psalm proclamation, the homily presents three figures as models of response to God's invitation. King Ahaz represents the human tendency to solve problems independently, refusing God's offer of guidance and ultimately falling into bondage. Saint Paul embodies humble submission, identifying himself as a servant whose mission flows entirely from God's grace. Saint Joseph stands as the ultimate model of obedient faith, listening to God's word and allowing divine will to direct his life. The Homily culminates in the affirmation that Emmanuel is not distant: Christ remains present among the faithful, especially in the poor, the suffering, and the gathered community. As Advent concludes, believers are invited to examine their attitude . . . self-sufficiency or obedient trust . . . and to welcome God who desires to dwell in their midst. Listen to Emmanuel: God With Us: Let the King of Glory Enter The Adoration of the Shepherds: Italian Painter: Giorgione: 1510 Why was this image selected: The intimate presence of God among ordinary people reflects Emmanuel's nearness. The painting's quiet reverence aligns with the homily's emphasis on God dwelling with us in daily life.

AMDG. Any time is a good time to meditate on the life of St. Joseph.  Fr. Lanzetta gives us many insights into the life of this extremely important saint and how, through a devotion to St. Joseph, this wonderful saint will lead us to the Blessed Mother and Our Lord.   Links mentioned & relevant:  The Silent Witness of Nazareth by Serafino Lanzetta  Radio Immaculata  Marian Franciscans  Kolbecast episode 280 St. Maximilian Kolbe and Marian Consecration with Dave VanVickle  Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.   We'd be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

Souvenirs de Noël   Pour plusieurs, la fête de Noël est associée à des souvenirs de jeunesse, des odeurs et des moments de tendresse. Dans cet épisode, Joan et Stéphane se demandent quand débute Noël et partagent quelques anecdotes et des souvenirs qui vous feront sourire. Site Internet: https://questiondecroire.podbean.com/ ApplePodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/question-de-croire/id1646685250  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Xurt2du9A576owf0mIFSj  Réforme: https://www.reforme.net/podcast/ Contactez-nous: questiondecroire@gmail.com Notre commanditaire: L'Église Unie du Canada  Moncredo.org * Musique de Lesfm, pixabay.com. Utilisée avec permission.  * Photo de Alsu Vershinina, unsplasch.com. Utilisée avec permission.  * Groupe WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Iu1ggsLoCdyLid7SrJrCoF    Bonjour, bienvenue à Question de croire, un podcast qui aborde la foi et la spiritualité, une question à la fois. Cette semaine, on vous partage des souvenirs de Noël. Bonjour Stéphane. Bonjour Joan. Bonjour à toutes les personnes qui sont à l'écoute.   Un petit cadeau pour Noël   [Stéphane] J'aimerais prendre cette occasion pour remercier toutes les personnes qui nous ont écoutées en 2025. Juste une petite statistique comme ça. J'ai vu qu'il y a une amélioration d'environ 25 % de téléchargements. On ne fait pas ça pour les chiffres, mais ça fait toujours plaisir qu'il y ait des gens qui nous écoutent. On a un petit cadeau de Noël. On a créé une communauté WhatsApp : « Pour une foi progressiste ». Un groupe pour les gens, pour discuter, pour poser des questions, quelque chose de tout simple. On n'est pas dans la quantité, parce que, au moment où on enregistre, on est 13 personnes sur ce groupe. On vise un petit peu plus la qualité. Donc, si ça vous intéresse, le lien va être dans la description de cet épisode et vous pouvez, si vous ne le trouvez pas, nous écrire à questiondecroire@gmail.com .   Quand débute Noël   [Stéphane] Alors, Joan, qu'est-ce que ça te dit, Noël? [Joan] Mais tu sais, moi j'aimerais d'abord commencer par un petit débat théologique avec toi qui va intéresser nos auditeuristes. Quand commence Noël pour toi Stéphane? Parce qu'il y a quand même un grand débat. Est-ce que c'est le premier de l'Avent? Est-ce que c'est le 24 ou est-ce que c'est le 25? [Stéphane] Très bonne question. Un de mes sujets de plainte ou de ronchonnement est que les calendriers de l'Avent, qu'on a beaucoup ici, commencent le 1er décembre. Et moi, je dis non! L'Avent ne commence presque jamais le 1er décembre, donc c'est faux. Déjà en partant. Les décorations, c'est le 7 décembre. C'est une tradition chez nous. Ce n'est pas le 6, ce n'est pas le 8, c'est le 7.  La tradition, je vais mettre sa canadienne-française parce que c'est plus que juste le Québec, c'est le 24. On se prépare. On va à la messe de minuit. On revient. On ouvre les cadeaux. On réveillonne. Donc c'est cette nuit du 24 au 25. Et pour toi Joan? [Joan] C'est sûr que le calendrier de l'Avent, c'est un incontournable en Alsace aussi. Alors, je ne sais pas très bien quels sont les liens entre le Québec, le Canada, l'Alsace. Moi, je sais qu'en tout cas, on est sous influence assez alémanique, assez germanique. Maintenant que je vis en Suisse depuis plus de quatre ans, c'est ma cinquième année maintenant, je vois aussi que les calendriers de l'Avent ont le même succès commercial que dans les contrées alsaciennes. Cela ne m'étonne pas parce que c'est vrai que dès qu'il y a un truc commercial, ça devient une niche et après ça devient une façon d'augmenter des capitaux un peu à droite et à gauche. Mais c'est vrai qu'on a aussi le Saint-Nicolas. Le Saint-Nicolas qui est très, très, très, très important en Alsace. L'autre jour, j'étais aller faire les courses avec ma fille. On est à la frontière entre le canton de Vaud et le canton de Fribourg. Et c'est là que j'ai découvert, ça m'a beaucoup amusée, qu'il y a une autre sorte de Saint-Nicolas par ici. Je l'ai pris en photo et il s'appelle Marcus. Je ne sais pas ce qu'il faisait là, le brave Marcus! C'était marrant. Donc un peu partout comme ça, on a des jalons ou des spécialités ou de petits cadeaux à ouvrir, ce temps de l'Avent. En Alsace, on se gausse beaucoup d'avoir le sapin de Noël. Parce que, je ne sais pas si tu étais au courant, mais le sapin de Noël a été historiquement prouvé comme étant né à Schlettstàdt, donc Sélestat. C'est la capitale quand même du sapin de Noël. Je ne sais pas si tu te rends compte, c'est très prestigieux comme affaire. Déjà que Strasbourg est la capitale du marché de Noël, Sélestat du sapin de Noël. Que demande le peuple? Et puis, concernant la décoration, je me pose tous les ans la question. Est-ce qu'on décore pendant l'Avent? Est-ce qu'on décore à partir du 24? Ou est-ce que, comme Noël commence le 25, le temps de liturgique de Noël, est-ce qu'on décore le 25? C'est vrai que ce sont des questions intéressantes. Ici, dans le village dans lequel je me trouve, à Corcelles-près-Payerne, on peut s'inscrire auprès de la mairie pour décorer une de ses fenêtres, inviter du coup le voisinage, tout le village. On met de la musique, on offre des boissons chaudes, on illumine sa fenêtre et on se fait un peu remarquer comme ça, puis on fait vivre aussi une belle tradition. Donc pour nous intégrer, on s'inscrit cette année et je te tiendrai informé un petit peu aussi de comment ça se passe puisque l'épisode est enregistré avant le 24 décembre.   Une messe de la veille de Noël catastrophique   [Stéphane] Le 24 décembre, c'est très important, comme je te disais. La messe, ça fait partie de ma jeunesse. Il y a un Noël auquel je reviens souvent dans ma mémoire. Je devais avoir 8 ou 10 ans. J'habitais dans un petit village, Saint-Simon-de-Bagot. Et chaque année, il y avait ce qu'on appelle les crèches vivantes, donc tous les enfants à l'école parce qu'à cette époque, il y avait l'enseignement religieux à l'école et tout le monde de l'école participait à cette crèche. Les jeunes filles étaient des anges, les garçons étaient des bergers, c'était très genré: alors j'étais un berger. Mais c'était la totale cette année-là. Je ne sais pas qu'est-ce qui s'était passé. Il y avait une jeune fille avant le début de la messe, une enfant de quatre ans qui avait été malade, qui avait vomi dans l'allée centrale. Il y avait des hommes qui avaient commencé à célébrer un peu trop tôt dans le coin de l'église. Ça parlait fort. Ils étaient pétés. Et il faisait chaud. Il y avait l'ange Gabriel qui était un grand adolescent qui est tombé dans les pommes. Saint-Joseph a eu un malaise, s'est retiré. C'était la catastrophe! Et en même temps, je me souviens toujours de cette veille de Noël, pas comme une espèce de grand désastre, mais quelque chose d'un peu... authentique. On recherche beaucoup l'authenticité, on recherche le vrai. Et quelque part, j'avais trouvé que oui, c'est ça la vraie vie. Les enfants sont malades, il y a des gens qui boivent trop, il fait chaud, il y a des malaises. C'est de cette veille de Noël de mon enfance dont je me souviens. Il y en a eu plein d'autres dont, bof, je ne me souviens pas, mais de celle-là, je m'en souviens.   Les odeurs du marché de Noël de Strasbourg   [Joan] Moi, en termes d'odeur, puisqu'on était un peu dans les odeurs aussi, j'irais de l'autre côté avec cette odeur du marché de Noël de Strasbourg. Moi, j'ai toujours vécu Strasbourg périphérie. J'ai toujours été attachée à cette ville. Ça reste ma ville. C'est Strasbourg, bien sûr. Et là, il y a un stand de crêpes qui s'appelle le « Stand d'la Bonumeur ». D'ailleurs, j'ai une collègue qui s'est postée sur les réseaux sociaux en photo devant ce stand, et je me suis dit, oui, ça, c'est le stand emblématique des crêpes de Noël. Quand tu as de la chance, tu ne sais jamais trop pourquoi ils t'offrent un vin chaud. Par exemple, mettons que tu arrives à 10h45 et ils te disent, voilà, il est 10h45 et donc c'est l'heure d'offrir le vin chaud à madame. C'est un petit peu aléatoire, leurs histoires. Et c'est super rigolo. Et puis, je me rappelle de leurs crêpes bien chargées en chocolat. Je me rappelle aussi quand j'étais petite, on était allé au marché de Noël. J'avais réussi à obtenir une barbe à papa, tu vois. J'avais baratiné et tout. J'avais mangé ma barbe à papa et puis, il y avait une dame, une belle Strasbourgeoise qui était passée avec son manteau de fourrure. Et moi, je n'avais pas fait gaffe. Ma grand-mère était morte de rire parce que j'avais foutu de la barbe à papa sur son manteau de fourrure. Voilà, ça me rappelle aussi mes flâneries sans fin devant les stands. Parce que moi, j'ai fait mon collège, à partir de 12 ans, j'étais à Strasbourg. Mon école était à côté de la place la plus importante de Strasbourg, entre la place Kléber, la place Broglie ou Bröjel, selon comment on prononce. Et toutes ces odeurs, le vin chaud, le chocolat, les marrons qu'on fait comme ça, qu'on fait griller, enfin tout ça, les marrons chauds, ça ce sont les odeurs de Noël. Après, ils se sont un petit peu américanisés et ils ont eu cette bonne idée formidable de mettre partout des petits haut-parleurs au centre-ville. On était si contents avec notre petit orgue de barbarie qui se promenait à droite à gauche. Mais ça, c'est une autre histoire. C'est un peu l'histoire de comment le marché de Noël est devenu plutôt un lieu de consommation qu'un lieu de fabrication à souvenirs.   Une journée de Noël intime   [Stéphane] C'est vrai que parfois, le calme, la simplicité, c'est toujours bon. Je me souviens de ce jour de Noël. Je débutais, j'étais dans ma première paroisse. Ma mère était venue nous visiter. Elle était venue à l'office la veille de Noël. C'était en anglais. Ma mère savait peut-être trois mots en anglais, mais elle a tenu à venir quand même. J'avais distribué des tirelires pendant l'Avent et il y avait un calendrier qui appelait à des actions, genre si vous avez l'eau chaude, mettez cinq sous dans la tirelire. L'argent allait pour les missions. Toutes ces tirelires étaient revenues la veille de Noël. Il y en avait une vingtaine. Et le jour de Noël, très tranquillement, dans l'après-midi, on a mis de la musique et on a roulé ces sous pendant deux, trois heures. On a fait des rouleaux. Et c'était un beau moment, c'était tranquille, c'était serein, rien de spectaculaire. Parfois, on n'a pas besoin de champagne. Oui, si on en veut, grand bien, face aux gens qui aiment ça. Mais c'est un beau souvenir parce que c'était un moment très intime. Il y avait mon épouse, ma mère et moi, puis on a roulé des sous, tout simplement, l'après-midi de Noël. C'était beau.   Pourquoi donner des bougies aux enfants   [Joan] C'est vrai qu'on a tous des souvenirs autour du 24 et 25 décembre. Je me rappelle une fois, dans ma paroisse d'origine, le bouclier à Strasbourg, la paroisse qui a été plantée par Calvin. Il y avait toujours des saynètes d'enfants, et tant que je n'avais pas l'âge, je ne pouvais pas jouer dans ces saynètes, même si c'est très inclusif et les enfants étaient accueillis. Je n'étais pas encore dans cette saynète d'enfant, donc je devais avoir 4-5 ans. Et puis, évidemment, la bougie de Noël. Alors voilà, qui un jour a eu l'idée d'introduire des bougies avec des mômes un soir de grande affluence dans une église historique? Je ne sais pas. Mais maintenant, on a les petites bougies LED, donc c'est fini. Quelqu'un, évidemment, me donne la bougie. Puis moi, je ne sais pas, 4-5 ans, qu'est-ce que je traficote avec ma bougie? Je ne sais pas. Je me brûle la main. Ma mère me tire précipitamment parce que je pleurais. Je hurlais. Dehors, il neigeait des flocons. Comme elle était travailleuse sociale, ma mère se rappelait qu'il y avait un dispensaire un peu pour les gens de la rue. Je pense qu'il n'existe plus d'ailleurs, mais il y avait un dispensaire dans le quartier. Elle me tire vers le dispensaire avec, tu imagines bien, les SDF, les prostituées, tout le monde. Puis voilà, quelqu'un me met de la crème, du truc, me fait un bandage, je ne sais pas quoi. Et mon père qui n'avait rien capté à ce moment-là, qui était resté à l'église, il n'y avait pas le téléphone avant. Une histoire, mais complètement... En fait, ce dont je me souviens, c'est qu'il neigeait. Voilà. En fait, les mômes, ça fonctionne un peu comme ça, quoi. Et je me rappellerai toujours cette histoire. Et puis après, en tant que pasteur, je me suis dit plein de fois, mais quelle idée de filer une bougie à une gamine de 5 ans?   Un feu de foyer qui tourne mal   [Stéphane] Ah là, tu m'emmènes avec les histoires de feu. C'était lorsque j'étais à ma deuxième paroisse à Kanata. On avait le culte à 16h30 pour les enfants et les familles, qui était un peu alternatif, un peu bizarre, beaucoup plus éclaté. Et à 20h30, c'était le culte plus traditionnel, je pourrais dire. Et entre les deux, certaines personnes, certains leaders restaient. On s'amenait un lunch. On mangeait ensemble. C'était un beau moment. Et moi, dans ma très grande créativité, je me suis dit « Ah, mais il y a un foyer! On va se faire un feu de foyer, ça fait très veille de Noël,” il y a les bûches, tout ça, je pars ça, tout va bien. Ce qu'on avait oublié de me dire, c'est qu'il y avait une trappe à ouvrir dans la cheminée, que je n'avais pas ouverte. Bon, on bouffe, on bouffe, on bouffe, tout va bien. L'alarme de fumée part. Et là, on se rend compte que j'avais enfumé l'église au complet. Grande chance, la caserne était au coin de la rue. Les pompiers arrivent. Mais là, moi dans ma tête, le culte débute dans 90 minutes. L'église au complet est enfumée, qu'est-ce que j'ai fait? Alors on ouvre les portes. On sort les ventilateurs. On essaye de faire sortir la fumée. Depuis ce moment, à cette paroisse, on m'a formellement interdit d'allumer quoi que ce soit, tout ce qui pouvait brûler. Bon, les chandelles à la limite, mais des trucs plus qu'une chandelle, non, ne touche pas à ça Stéphane! J'avais un mauvais karma. J'ai dit, c'est le mercredi des Cendres, je vais prendre de vieux rameaux, je vais mettre le feu, je vais aller dehors. Non! Tu ne touches pas à des allumettes. Tu ne touches pas à un briquet. Ce fut quelque chose de très marquant. J'ai failli foutre le feu à mon église la veille de Noël.   Confectionner de petites pâtisseries entre amies   [Joan] Ouais, ben alors, du coup... Est-ce que moi, j'ai une histoire aussi dingue à te raconter? Je ne suis pas sûre. En tout cas, dans le côté feu et faire cuire, en Alsace, il y a les bredeles. Les bredeles, c'est des petits gâteaux de Noël. Et c'est super rigolo parce que l'autre fois, j'appelle ma mère pour prendre de ses nouvelles. Et je lui dis « Ah, tu fais quoi? » Elle me dit « Bah, je suis en train de faire des bredeles » et je savais exactement la question que je devais lui poser. Je lui ai dit « Et tu en fais combien de sortes cette année? » Elle me dit très fièrement, parce qu'elle attendait ma question, elle me dit « Là, j'en ai déjà fait cinq et je suis en train de préparer la sixième sorte. » Et ça, c'est une grande discussion à l'église, tu vois. Alors, pour l'instant, c'est méga genré, mais de ce point de vue là, je trouve ça cool, parce qu'en fait, c'est une activité, je pense, comme tu disais, là, avec tes petits rouleaux de petits sous, là. Tu mets de la musique, tu invites tes copines, tu fais des bredeles. Moi, j'aime bien, en fait, ces formes de socialisation féminine qui sont sans gros enjeux. Ce n'est pas se préparer pour aller je ne sais pas où, non. Mais alors du coup, évidemment, il y a toujours un peu, il y a toujours le petit moment, ah oui, c'est bien, tu fais cette sorte, ça me donne une idée, ça me fera ma dix-septième sorte cette année. Évidemment, moi, je n'ai jamais dépassé comme ma mère, je n'ai jamais dépassé six ou sept sortes. Mais des fois, tu as des paroissiennes qui en font 24, quoi. Ça, c'est assez génial. Le rond avec dessus l'amande, le sapin fourré avec du Mascarpin. Enfin bref, il y a toutes ces sortes-là. C'est vrai, je me rends compte, ça m'a fait plaisir que tu me poses ces questions pour Noël parce que ça, c'est un truc que j'ai réussi à transmettre. L'intergénérationnel a fonctionné, ma grand-mère en faisait, ma mère en faisait, moi j'en faisais. Et puis avec mes filles, jusqu'à il y a 2-3 ans, j'organisais toujours une après-midi bredele dans la paroisse et j'invitais les femmes de la paroisse qui n'avaient pas nécessairement une grande cuisine ou comme ça, à venir faire des bredeles dans la cuisine de l'église qui était une cuisine assez chouette et surtout à côté il y a une grande salle où on pouvait sortir des tables et étaler la pâte. Je trouve que c'est sympa, ce sont des traditions qui fédèrent. Et puis finalement, maintenant qu'on peut trouver du beurre sans lactose, de la farine sans gluten, du sucre sans sucre, on peut aussi être plus inclusif dans notre préparation de bredele. Je pense que ça va me manquer un peu cette année, si je suis totalement honnête avec toi, j'avais un peu arrêté de les manger ces dernières années pour toutes les raisons qu'on vient de citer, lactose, gluten, sucre. Je pense que cette année dans le canton de Vaud, je ne recevrai pas de bredele et ça va me faire bizarre. Mais c'est comme ça.   Conclusion   [Joan] Moi je serais assez curieuse de savoir quelles sont les traditions de Noël des personnes qui nous suivent ou peut-être des personnes qui veulent nous rejoindre sur le groupe WhatsApp. On peut aussi s'offrir des petits débats théologiques, des petites confrontations. Est-ce que ceci est bien chrétien ou pas? Alors que la plupart des traditions n'ont pas besoin d'être ni chrétiennes ni pas chrétiennes. Je veux dire, si elles sont respectueuses des gens, elles sont là pour le vivre ensemble. Pourquoi pas, offrons-nous des espaces de discussion, de débat, envoyez-nous peut-être vos expériences, bonnes, moins bonnes, drôles, moins drôles, tout nous intéresse et ça peut peut-être même nous donner du bredele à moudre pour l'année prochaine. [Stéphane] Merci beaucoup Joan! Merci à toutes les personnes encore une fois qui sont à l'écoute. Peu importe où vous allez passer Noël, à la maison ou loin de chez vous, peu importe que vous soyez seul ou en groupe, j'espère que ce temps sera significatif pour vous. J'espère que vous prendrez soin de vous et j'espère que vous serez là pour la nouvelle année, parce que bien sûr, on sera de retour en 2026. Si vous avez des questions, des commentaires, si vous voulez vous abonner au groupe WhatsApp : questiondecroire@gmail.com .  Joyeux Noël, Joan. Bonne année 2026 un peu d'avance. Joyeux Noël à toutes celles et ceux qui nous écoutent et puis bon temps des fêtes.    

As Advent draws to a close, Saint Joseph invites us to make room—not just in our homes, but in our hearts.In Week Four of A Quiet Light, we reflect on Saint Joseph, Most Obedient, and pray with Matthew 1:18–24. This Gospel reminds us that obedience isn't about having all the answers—it's about trusting God enough to take the next step. Joseph heard the call, woke up, and did what the Lord asked. No hesitation. Just love in motion.The word we're sitting with this week? ✨ Trust. The kind that chooses surrender over control, even when the path ahead feels uncertain.Our invitation this week is simple: notice where God may be knocking. Where might He be asking you to make room for Him—again or for the first time? Ask for the grace to say yes, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfinished.

(3:03) Bible Study: Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 Be Faithful to the Lord and hand on what was passed down Luke 1:57-66 Father talks about the name “John” (18:31) Break 1 Father talks about the Reverence theory of Saint Joseph (28:36) Letters: Father talks about the meaning of the Lamb of God. Father helps a listener who returned to the Church and had some questions about the Church. Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (38:06) Break 2 (39:07) Word of the Day IHS (40:34) Phones: Katie - If Mary was born without original sin, why couldn't she have been our savior? James – Are black Rosary beads bad? Anthony - When were girls allowed to be altar servers? Why can't nuns do math?

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageThe candles are burning low, Advent is nearly complete, and a quiet figure steps into focus: Saint Joseph. We open the door to the workshop where silence is eloquent and obedience changes history, exploring how a man with no recorded words still teaches us what fatherhood, courage, and reverence look like when God draws near.We walk through Scripture's testimony that names Joseph as father, son of David, and guardian of the Messiah, and we reflect on why legal and spiritual fatherhood are not lesser realities but profound icons of the Father's love. Drawing on Scott Hahn's insights and the wisdom of the saints in his book "Joy to the World", we consider the angel's charge to Joseph, his decisive yes, and the way that choice shelters the Incarnation. From Nazareth to Egypt and back, Joseph's path shows how vocation is lived: unhurried, attentive, and ready to act when God speaks. Along the way, we revisit how the birth of Christ reshaped time itself and why attempts to neutralize our calendars can't erase the hinge of grace.Together, we ponder Benedict XVI's vision of authentic fatherhood as service to life and growth, and we bless the hidden faithfulness of fathers who labor without applause. As carols rise and Christmas nears, we let Joseph guide our imagination and prayer, learning to measure our days by presence, protection, and quiet love. If the true reward is simply to be with Christ, Joseph shows us how to arrive and adore.If this reflection stirred your heart, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help others discover the podcast. What virtue of Joseph will you practice this week?Key Points from the Episode:• Advent nearing its fulfillment and the mystery of the Incarnation• Joseph's silence and deeds as a model of holiness• Legal and spiritual fatherhood affirmed in Scripture• Joseph as icon of God the Father's care• The angel's counsel and Joseph's fearless obedience• Saints' insights from Aquinas, Bernard, and Josemaría• History and calendars centered on Christ's birth• Benedict XVI on authentic fatherhood and service• Blessing and encouragement for fathers today• Closing with Christmas carols Other resources: Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly, thank you so much!

Catéchèse du P. Mathieu - 2025-12-23 Merveilleux Saint Joseph by Radio Maria France

Saint Joseph's FaithfulnessMatthew 1:18-25 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.   But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.  And he gave him the name Jesus.I thought since Christmas is coming, I would focus on that this week.  Today I want to focus on Saint Joseph.  I think he is someone that we don't talk about enough.  Everyone I know who has read or learned more about Saint Joseph just keeps talking about how incredible he was.  Let's talk about the different things in this verse.The verse begins by describing how they were pledged to be married, but before they were together, he found out that Mary was pregnant.  Joseph now finds himself stuck because it says he is faithful to the law.  He wants to follow the law, and yet, according to the law, back in the day, if a woman was caught cheating on her husband, she was to be stoned to death.  Joseph didn't want to disobey the law, and he also didn't want to publicly disgrace Mary.  He was a good man, and so he was going to quietly divorce her to keep her from all of that.  However, he was visited by an angel in his dream before he could do anything.  This angel explained what was going on and told Joseph to name the baby Jesus.  Can you imagine being visited by an angel in your sleep?  When I was little, I used to imagine what it would be like to have an angel come and visit me, like Mary or Joseph.  I wondered what it would feel like.  I wondered if I would believe what I was seeing.  I wonder how Joseph felt when he woke up from that dream?  Did he know it was a visit from a real angel and not just a normal dream right away?  I wonder why the angel came to Joseph in a dream, but to Mary when she was awake.  I think it is hard for us to imagine what it would feel like, as it is so foreign to most of us.  I like to think things were different back then.  It was easier for them to believe because they lived in a time when there weren't so many distractions or when the faith was stronger.  However, I don't think, even back then, it was a common occurrence to be visited by an angel.  I don't know that those around them would have any easier time believing it than we would.  Yet, Joseph did believe, and he did obey.Joseph had a choice, just like Mary did.  Joseph could have decided that it was all just a dream.  He could have believed that Mary had cheated on him, and he could have left her.  However, he made a choice to stay.  He chose to listen to the angel and to name the baby Jesus.  He was faithful to the Lord, and he raised Jesus as his child.  Did you know that Joseph was visited by an angel a second time in a dream?  This time was right after the Magi visited baby Jesus.  Matthew 2:13-15 recounts, “ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”  So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”Again, Joseph had a choice to make.  His wife had just given birth recently.  He had a baby, and I am sure they were all tired as she gave birth in a manger.  I can't imagine they were getting great sleep there.  Then the angel of God tells Joseph to get up in the middle of the night and take his wife and baby to Egypt.  Remember the first time the angel visited he was told that what he was asked to do was to help fulfill the Lord's word through a prophet, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” Now the angel is asking Joseph a second time to fulfill the Lord's word, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”  The benefit that Joseph has over many of us is that he would have been well-versed on the Old Testament prophets since he was a Jewish man.  The Jewish males went to school/class to study the Jewish scriptures.I wonder if knowing about all these scriptures or words from the prophets made it easier or harder to say yes?  I wonder if knowing what he was getting into made it harder or easier.  I am not sure I would want to know the fate of my child if it were to suffer as Christ suffered.  I wonder if knowing all he knew about Jesus and what he was to become added pressure on Joseph as a father.  I think most parents feel pressure to be a good parent.  We feel like we don't want to mess our children up.  When they are babies, they are completely dependent on us, and as they grow, they want to become more independent.  However, I don't think that sense of responsibility for our children ever goes away.  I can just imagine the pressure that I felt not to mess my kids up too badly would be multiplied by 100,000 if I knew I was raising God's child.  I am hoping it wasn't like this for Mary and Joseph.  I am hoping that they didn't feel constant pressure to measure up or to be perfect.  I like to think that they were able to be a somewhat regular family at the time.  Although I am sure it was super stressful when Jesus stayed back in the temple to talk to the teachers when they left.  I can't imagine not knowing where my child was for that long.  I did actually lose my child at a fair once, and although it was less than 5 minutes real time, it felt like a million years.  I can't imagine if I had to have that feeling for days.  I know things were always perfect for them, but I hope that they were able to raise Jesus without too much pressure to be perfect parents, and also without feeling that they weren't worthy.  The bible doesn't share many interactions with Joseph in the bible, but you can tell by the reverence that Jesus had with Mary that he was very respectful to his parents.  Joseph had two more dreams where an angel appeared to him.  These are described in Matthew 2:19-23, “After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead.”  So he got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,  and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”  Again, Joseph had a choice, and he said yes.Joseph had several chances to say no, to refuse his destiny or fulfill his purpose, and yet he didn't.  Each time he was given a task, he completed it.  He did not ask questions; it doesn't appear that he argued or did it begrudgingly.  Joseph had four dreams where an angel of God appeared to him and told him to do something, and he said yes.  They were not easy things that the angel was asking him to do, and yet he did them anyway.  I wonder if we would have the same strength?  I wonder if we could stay when we thought we should go?  I wonder if we would move to another country after just having a baby, and then move back.  Joseph was so faithful to do what God wanted him to do.  There is very little that I know about Joseph, but what I do know, I admire.  He had so much strength and so much faith.  I think we could all benefit from getting to know Joseph a little more.  Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we thank you for choosing Joseph to be Jesus' earthly father.  He was so faithful to your word and your commands.  Help us to be more faithful.  Help us to do what you want us to do, whether we feel like it or not.  Help us to be willing to listen more to Your word, Lord.  We thank you for giving us Mary, Joseph & Jesus.  You are so amazing, and you love us so much to have sacrificed your son for us.  Lord, we ask that you help us keep our hearts and minds focused on you this week and not on the commercialized version of Christmas.  Help us to remember the reason for the season.  We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in August 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “And when they see you, they see me, and they feel my love for them where they are in the condition that they are in.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Christmas welcomes the coming of Jesus Christ into the world at his birth in Bethlehem. This Christmas season reminds us of Jesus as the Light of the World and how we are called to bring Jesus to others. This blogcast explores “Beyond a Twinkle" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Don McCrabb, D. Min. and read by Meghan Abando.There is just something about Advent with its joyful anticipation of Christmas, the rush of preparation - decorating, gifting, and writing Christmas cards - and holy waiting. We ponder, like Mary, the birthing of the Messiah in history, in our lives, and our future. We can see the Christmas spirit in “the twinkle of an eye,” a person fully alive with the joyful anticipation of Christmas. When my family would gather for the holidays, there would be a lot of storytelling among the adults. Mom would say to me, from time to time, “this happened before you were even a twinkle in your father's eye.” At the time, I was not sure what she meant, but I knew that twinkle - in my Dad's eye over a job well done, carving the Christmas turkey, or preparing to host a party. I also noticed it in the Santa's I saw, Fr. Jim preparing for Mass, or Sister Prudence teaching us our catechism. It was a sign that a person was fully alive, joyful, and expectant. The Church celebrates the Feast of Saint John the Apostle on December 27th, just two days after Christmas. Saint John, and his older brother Saint James, are the sons of Zebedee, a fisherman. He was one of the youngest of the apostles and he was the last apostle to die. Tradition credits him with the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. ​ I must confess, I have struggled with reading the Gospel of Saint John. At times, it is mysterious, tender, and baffling. Yet, it has always been a grace - deepening my faith and expanding my heart. As we celebrate Christmas - and we must remember it is a season that begins on Christmas Day and ends with the Baptism of the Lord (January 12th) - I want to take the time to pray and ponder the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It is just 18 verses but it is saturated with meaning that elevates the Birth of Jesus beyond the horizon of our awareness, even beyond the boundaries of our imagination. The story of Jesus born of Mary in a stable is found in the Gospel of Luke. Saint Matthew's account stresses Saint Joseph, his dreams, the three “kings,” and the flight into Egypt. Saint Mark, like Saint John, begins with John the Baptist. Saint John, however, weaves a beautiful poem about who Jesus really is to introduce the testimony of the Baptist. Jesus is the Word of God and, from the very beginning, he was both with God and was God and through him “all things came to be.” Every thing, every one of us, was created by God through Jesus, the Word of God. (John 1: 1-3) Jesus is the light “of the human race,” enlightenment is found in him, and we who accept Jesus, believe in his name, are now children of God. (John 1: 4-5) In Jesus, the Word of God became flesh, dwells among us. In him and through him we see the face of God. (John 1:14-18) When Saint John ends his Gospel, he proclaims both the truth of what he has written, but also its limitation since, “there are also many other things that Jesus did … I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25). Hopefully, we will receive many wonderful and meaningful gifts this Christmas. The discipline of Christmas is to receive the gift. To recognize the gift given, the giver, and the completeness of the gift. In so many ways, I am still unwrapping the gift of my smartphone years after my wife, Barbara, gave it to me. As I unwrap the prologue to the Gospel of Saint John, I am struck by three amazing truths. First, all of us were created through the Word of God. Jesus himself participated in our creation. Our being begins in him and flows through him. Second, if we accept the gift of Jesus, and unwrap all of the gift, as we are able, we are no longer creatures. We are now children of God. Third, we have a light, a twinkle if you will, shining within us, “and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5) The Gospel of John is a gift given to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift that takes time to unwrap. It is so much better than Christmas cookies because its goodness, its sweetness, does not go away. Indeed, the more we feast on its truth and beauty, the more enriched we are. We leave both satisfied and hungry for more. Author:Don McCrabb, D. Min., a pastoral theologian, is the former Executive Director of the United States Catholic Mission Association. Resources:Listen to On Mission: ChristmasRead and learn about Advent and ChristmasRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Sun. December 21, 2025: "Saint Joseph Does God's Will" -Rev. John Kerns, Pastor

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122125.cfmFather Chris, MIC leads us into the hidden strength and obedience of Saint Joseph—a man whose silence speaks louder than words. While Mary's fiat is rightly celebrated, salvation history also depended on Joseph's quiet “yes.” Without it, Jesus would not have had the legal lineage of David, nor the protection and provision of a faithful earthly father.Joseph stands as the head of the Holy Family, chosen by God to guard what was most sacred. Though sinless perfection belonged only to Mary, the Church has long taught that Joseph was sanctified for his mission. Astonishingly, God Himself chose to live in obedience to Mary and Joseph, revealing the dignity of family life and the authority entrusted to fathers.Matthew's Gospel shows us the Nativity through Joseph's eyes. Faced with confusion and fear, Joseph chose charity over judgment. Only after he resolved to act mercifully did God send clarity through an angelic dream. Scripture reminds us that God's guidance often follows—not precedes—acts of trust. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid” (Mt 1:20; NABRE).Saint Joseph models humility, courage, chastity, and obedience to God's will. As patron of the family and the Church—two realities most fiercely attacked—his role is more urgent than ever. His life teaches us that holiness is often hidden, obedience is rarely loud, and faith is proven in action.Saint Joseph, patron of a happy death, pray for us. ★ Support this podcast ★

Send us a textWe lead a guided pilgrimage to Bethlehem's cave, tracing how prophecy, place, and liturgy meet in the Incarnation and flow into the Eucharist. Along the way we learn from Joseph's silent courage, Mary's Fiat, and the Franciscans' faithful custody of the Nativity.• prophecy fulfilled in Bethlehem and Emmanuel made present• the grotto's geography as sacrament of humility and grace• manger to altar and the Eucharist as Bethlehem today• Midnight Mass, chants and veneration at the silver star• praying the Joyful Mysteries in the shepherds' fields• Saint Joseph's model of fatherhood and steadfast action• Marian devotion as doorway to the Word made flesh• Franciscan custodianship and unity among Christians• invitation to virtual pilgrimages, retreats and givingBe sure to look at the description for special information of interest to you in Bethlehem at ChristmasVisit journeysoffaith.com website todayBe sure to click the link in the description for special news itemAnd since there is more to this article, finish reading and check out the special offerJourneys of FaithOpen by Steve Bailey Support the showJourneys of Faith brings your Super Saints Podcasts ***Our Core Beliefs*** The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our Faith." Catechism 132 Click Here “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” 1Thessalonians 4“ Click Here ... lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” Matthew 6:19-2 Click Here The Goal is Heaven Click Here Why you should shop here at Journeys of Faith official site! Lowest Prices and Higher discounts up to 50% Free Shipping starts at $18 - Express Safe Checkout Click Here Cannot find it let us find or create it - - Click Here Rewards Program is active - ...

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To all those loved by God who are in Rome (and Casper), called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7). Amen.Ahaz is a wicked, unbelieving king. He is a descendant of King David, but he is unlike David who cherished his children and led the nation of Israel in their worship of the true God. Ahaz sacrificed his own son in the fire as he led the nation of Israel in the worship of pagan gods.Earlier in chapter 7, Isaiah records how King Ahaz of Judah is being threatened by Pekah, the king of Israel, who has allied himself with Rezin, the king of Aram, to destroy Judah. The prophet Isaiah calls King Ahaz to trust in the Lord for protection from this alliance. Ahaz refuses. His solution to this threat is to make is own alliance with the nation of Assyria, north of Aram (2 Kings 16:1-9).Isaiah tells Ahaz that he doesn't need this alliance with the wicked nation of Assyria. The Lord will protect Judah from its enemies. To prove this, Isaiah tells Ahaz to pick a sign – any sign – as proof of his protection. The Lord spoke to Ahaz again. He said, "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above" (Isaiah 7:10-11).Ahaz could have asked for anything. He could have gone simple and asked for a shooting star across the sky that night. He could have gone big and asked for an asteroid to come crashing down on his enemies. He could have asked for any sign he wanted.But King Ahaz doesn't trust in God. Instead, he trusts the alliance he had made with Assyria. Because he doesn't trust God, there was no sign that would have convinced him of God's power to save his throne or country. In false humility, Ahaz refuses to "test" the Lord. Ahaz responded, "I will not ask. I will not test the Lord" (Isaiah 7:12).To prove to Ahaz and to the world that his promises can be trusted, God decides on his own sign. He is not going to allow an unbelieving king to stand in the way of the physical deliverance of Judah and the eternal deliverance of all who believe the sign. God chooses a sign that is an embarrassment to Ahaz because it is so simple, yet so miraculous. It is also a sign that would take 700 years to fulfill. So, Isaiah said, "Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:13-14).God promises the virgin's Son and his Son will be named Immanuel – God with us... and God for us.What does it mean that Jesus, the Son of God, is "God with us"? To help understand the relationship of God to humans, imagine the relationship of humans to ants. Young Hudson volunteered to be our resident "ant-lover" for this story.Imagine that Hudson's dad, Ty, is going to be resurfacing their driveway. But Hudson notices that there's a large anthill at the edge of the driveway. He becomes worried that when the hot asphalt is poured onto the driveway, the asphalt will also fill the anthill – killing the countless ants inside.Hudson, being the ant-lover that he is, goes outside to start talking to the ants. He tells them about his dad, the driveway, the asphalt, and their anthill. He tells them the entire story.What do the ants do? ... Nothing. They ignore Hudson, even though he's trying to help them. So, Hudson gets down on their level. He puts his face right above the anthill and shouts warnings for them to pack up and leave. The ants just run away.What can Hudson do? He loves the ants. He wants to rescue the ants. But he's too superior to them. They're too puny. He's like a "god" to them.Hudson decides that the only way they'll listen to him is if he becomes one of them. So, that's what he does. He goes to his closet and put on his Ant-Man suit from Halloween. (Ant-Man is one of the Avengers.)Hudson, in his Ant-Man suit, pushes a button and shrinks down to become the size of an ant. (This is a very high-tech Halloween costume!) In this form, he's able to communicate with the ants and save those who believe his message.It sounds like a silly story, doesn't it? It will seem even more silly when Hudson wears his Ant-Man suit to church one day.It seems ridiculous that a person would become an ant to save the ants. But that's no more ridiculous than God becoming a human to save the humans.Think of the world the Son of God left. Our classiest mansion would be an anthill to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be crumbs on heaven's table. The idea of becoming an ant with a segmented body and antennae? That's nothing compared to God becoming an embryo and entering the womb of Mary.But that's what the Son of God did. The God of the universe was born into the poverty of a peasant and spent his first night in the cow's feed trough. The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into our neighborhood. The God of the universe left his eternal seat on his golden throne, surrounded by saints and angels to be born in time and laid in a manger surrounded by Saint Mary and Saint Joseph. Who could have imagined God would do such a thing?Why would Jesus come? He comes to be Immanuel. He comes to be God with us.But I want you to understand that God being with us is not necessarily good news. He has every right to be God with us in righteous anger over our sins. He can be God with us in justified judgment over how we act and live. He can be God with us in deserving punishment over our continual crimes against God and humanity.A king coming to be with his people is not good news if he's there to raise their taxes. A judge coming to be with the people in the courtroom is not good news if he's there to sentence them to prison. A human coming to be with the ants is not good news if he's there to step on their anthill. And God coming to be with his creation is not good news if he's coming to bring the hellish punishment they rightly deserve.It is significant that when the angel appears to Joseph in a dream he says, "Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The God who is coming is not coming to destroy his people because of their sins. Rather, he's coming to save his people from their sins. In other words, the God who is with you is the God who comes for you.We call this the incarnation. Divinity combined with humanity. God's gift of his Son wrapped in cute, little baby skin. We confess our belief in the incarnation in our three Christian universal creeds.The Apostles' Creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary..."The Nicene Creed: "For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human."The Athanasian Creed: "He is God, eternally begotten from the nature of the Father, and he is man, born in time from the nature of his mother, fully God, fully man, with rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father as to his deity, less than the Father as to his humanity..."This is what the incarnation of God taking on human flesh reveals: Jesus is the King coming to free his people from the tyranny of the Devil. He is the Judge coming to release the prisoners from the prison of hell. He is the God-Man coming to proclaim rescue to those who will listen and believe. He is the God who could come to us to wipe us out and shed our blood. However, instead he is the God who comes to wipe out our sins with his blood.God with us is only good news if God is for us. The good news is in changing the preposition. "For" means that Jesus is on our side, out to get our enemies. We are the "apple of his eye" (Psalm 17:8). He comes to live the perfect life for us, in our place. He comes to suffer for us, in our place. He comes to die for us, in our place. He comes to be the fulfillment of his names. He is Jesus because he saves us from our sins. He is Immanuel because he is God with us since he came for us.Again, why would Jesus come? Because he loves to be with the ones he loves.Dr. Maxwell Maltz tells a remarkable story of a love like this. A man attempted to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn't get to them. They perished. He was burned and disfigured in the fire. The man mistakenly interpreted his pain as God's punishment. He would not let anyone see him — not even his wife.The wife went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told her not to worry. He said, "I can restore his face." The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would refuse again.Then why her visit? She told the doctor, "I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him. If I can share his pain, maybe he'll let me back in his life."Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by her love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man's bedroom door, he called loudly. "Sir, my name is Dr. Maltz. I'm a plastic surgeon, and I can restore your face." No response. "Please come out." Again, there was no answer.Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife's proposal. He said, "She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you let her back into your life. That's how much she loves you." There was a moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the doorknob began to turn.The way the woman felt for her husband is a small picture of the way God feels about us. But he did more than make the offer. He took on our face, our disfigurement. He became like us. Just look at the places he was willing to go to reach people – feed troughs, carpentry shops, deserts, and cemeteries. He visited mountain tops and temple courtyards. He went into the homes of friends, Pharisees, tax collectors, centurions, and dead little girls. The places Jesus went to reach us show how far he goes to fulfill his name, "He saves."Getting back to the story of King Ahaz... Israel and Aram failed in their plan against Judah. Both Israel and Aram were defeated by the Assyrians, with the northern kingdom of Israel falling to Assyria in 722 B.C.But then, look out, Ahaz! Assyria was not going to stop with knocking off Israel and Aram. Assyria would then turn its attention to Judah. After the promise of the virgin birth, Isaiah told King Ahaz, "The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house, days worse than any since the day that Ephraim broke away from Judah. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria" (Isaiah 7:17).God fulfilled that promise, too. Assyria threatened Jerusalem 21 years later. At that time, Isaiah had to counsel the next king of Judah, Hezekiah, to trust in the Lord and not in political or military alliances. King Hezekiah listened to the counsel of Isaiah, and that threat again was lifted.God fulfilled his promise to wicked King Ahaz in sending a virgin's Son to be named Immanuel. This is why every Advent we sing, "Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Jesus is Immanuel – God with us by being God for us. He loves to be with the ones he loves. Amen.This gospel is about his Son, who in the flesh was born a descendant of David, who in the spirit of holiness was declared to be God's powerful Son by his resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 1:3-4). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/god-with-us-and-god-for-us/

(December 21, 2025) On this 4th Sunday of Advent, Bishop Timothy Senior reflects upon Saint Joseph in today's Gospel reading: his dreams, emotions, God's interventions, and the phrase, "Do not be afraid."

Read OnlineSuch was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Matthew 1:20Joseph knew that the penalty for adultery was death by stoning. His heart must have been deeply conflicted. On one hand, the virtues of his betrothed wife, Mary, were abundantly clear. Mary radiated holiness. Impurity was foreign to her Immaculate Heart. Yet she was pregnant, and Joseph was not the father. What should he do?To protect Mary from public shame, Joseph decided to do what he believed was the most merciful thing—he “decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention…” Though little is known about Joseph, this Gospel passage identifies him as “a righteous man.” Many saints, popes, and Church documents highlight his unquestionable sanctity. He was not immaculate and free from sin as was his wife, but God the Father would have chosen a righteous and holy man to be the foster father of the Son of God.Joseph's actions reveal his deep faith. As he slept, “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.'” The angel explained to him that Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14) and that Joseph was to take Mary and her unborn Son into his home and care for them. When he awoke, he did as the angel commanded.Joseph's dream was no ordinary dream. The Holy Spirit accompanied the angel and instilled the certitude of faith in Joseph's mind, empowering his will to obey God's will. Joseph became the father and guardian of the Savior of the World. On December 8, 1847, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph to be the Universal Patron and Protector of the Catholic Church. Just as he protected the Son of God, so he intercedes for us who are members of Christ's body, the Church.As our Advent season enters its final week, we are reminded of the role that Jesus' foster father played not only in the life of the Holy Family, but also about the role Saint Joseph continues to play in the life of the Church and in each one of our lives. His intercessory power from Heaven is great, and we should not hesitate to call upon his prayers, especially when we need protection, struggle with fear, or face some grave challenge.Reflect today on your personal devotion to Saint Joseph. Ponder, especially, his deep faith and obedience to the will of God as was communicated to him in a dream. Strive to imitate that obedience in your own life, never hesitating to undertake the mission God has given you. Turn to Saint Joseph in prayer and know that his powerful intercession will help protect you and win God's grace in the areas you need it the most. Saint Joseph, you were a holy and righteous man, entrusted with the guardianship of the Mother of God and the Son of God. You fulfilled your role faithfully and continue that role from Heaven, protecting all of God's children through your intercession. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your obedience and will be protected from all sin so as to fulfill the unique role God has given me. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Gerard Seghers, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Read OnlineBut the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.” Luke 1:13–15Unlike Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Zechariah doubted the angel of the Lord's revelation. Our Blessed Mother encountered the Archangel Gabriel at the Annunciation and responded, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and when Joseph awoke, “he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him” (Matthew 1:24).Today, we are given a similar scene to ponder. Zechariah and Elizabeth are identified as being “righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly” (Luke 1:6). In other words, Zechariah was a holy man of God. While he was standing at the altar of incense located in the Holy Place, just outside the veil of the Holy of Holies, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him to announce that his wife had conceived a child in her old age. Gabriel further reveals, “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:15–16).Given Zechariah's personal holiness and the extraordinary revelation he received from Gabriel, he should have believed what Gabriel said without hesitation. When he failed to do so, Gabriel said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words…” (Luke 1:19–20).This chastisement was clearly for Zechariah's benefit. Despite his lack of faith, God wanted him to participate in His divine plan of salvation. The chastisement was not a punishment in a punitive way. It was meant to instill greater faith in him, and it accomplished its purpose.Most of us are more like Zechariah than we are like our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. Despite our best intentions and attempts to remain faithful to God's will, we stumble. When that happens, we must see any consequences as a gift of love from God. Chastisements come in many forms. They are meant to wake us up to a greater obedience to God's will. Reflect today on any ways that your sins have resulted in consequences. It takes deep humility to admit our sins and take responsibility for their effects. Though it is easy to be angry, to point the finger elsewhere, and to justify our actions, doing so is a rejection of God's loving chastisement meant for our good. Strive to imitate Zecharaiah by humbly changing when your sin results in consequences so that God can bring good into your life, even from a lack of faith and obedience to His will.Most merciful Lord, You chastise those whom You love so as to redirect them to Your holy will. When I sin, please help me to accept the consequences with humility and as a motivation to turn back to You in fidelity and love. Please make me holy in imitation of Zechariah, Saint Joseph, and our Blessed Mother. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: William Blake, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Delivered by Celine from the Parish of Saint Marinus Yohanes in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Judges 13: 2-7.24-25a; Rs psalm 71: 3-4a.5-6ab.16-17; Luke 1: 5-25.MIRACULOUSPREPARATION Thetitle for our meditation today is: Miraculous Preparation. Preparation is themain theme of Advent. We have reflected on the great preparation as carried outby John the Baptist and Elijah. There is also a form of preparation thathighlights God's justice with the King David, the results of which aremanifested in the person of Mother Mary and Saint Joseph. Then today we areintroduced to a form of miraculous preparation, with the main characters beingManoah's wife or Samson's mother, and John the Baptist's parents, Zachariah andElizabeth. Wecall it a miraculous preparation, and not just great, because it is close to amuch more miraculous event, namely the birth of the Savior, which is already soonto come. The miraculous event in the lives of Mary and Joseph which ismanifested in the birth of Jesus Christ, certainly must be anticipated by amiraculous preparation as well. And this miraculous preparation was the birthof Samson from his mother who was barren, as well as the birth of John theBaptist from Elisabeth who was also claimed to be barren. Zakariah, Elisabeth'shusband, is also included in this circle of miracles. Ifyou dare to ask yourself, what miracle must be prepared to welcome thecelebration of the birth of Jesus Christ this year? Something magical alwaysamazes or more precisely, something new that makes us wonder. However, havingexperience a special relationship with God does not have to be big andmagnificent. Miraculous or wonderful thing doesn't have to be somethingextraordinary. Jesus Christ, who was born in simplicity, is enough to give usan idea that miracles are the experiences of finding light and answers aboutour lives in God. Someonewrote on the social media wall about her family's miraculous preparation forthis Christmas. "My youngest child, who is already a young man, over thelast years has not been able to get along and agree with us, his parents. Justthis past day he opened up and talked to us. We actually stopped at the exactplace where our child was, so that our communication could be connected, theconversation would flow, and finally a solution to our problem could bereached. May this Christmas be a very beautiful experience in our family”. Thissmall sharing is a miraculous preparation, which of course will be aligned withthe miracle of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. We as individuals,families, and communities need to prepare miraculously or in a new way, inorder to find that harmony and unity. If there is nothing miraculous or newexperience, wouldn't the Christmas celebration be ordinary, without anything wonderful? Let us pray. In thename of the Father... O merciful God, make us individuals and families who can renewour lives through miraculous preparation for this Christmas. Glory to theFather and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...

My heart is steadfast, O God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing and I will make music (Psalm 57:7). Amen.It was a quiet, idyllic evening outside of Bethlehem. Shepherds were gently caring for their sheep. The bright stars were twinkling in the dark sky.Ugh. I don't think so. That's the way our Christmas cards portray the scene. But let's set aside our western sentimentality and romanticism to paint the real scene for first century shepherds in Palestine.Shepherds were among the lowest of the social classes. They didn't own the flocks. The owners were asleep in their comfortable Bethlehem beds. Shepherds were minimum wage earners. Their work kept them continually dirty and smelly. That's because they were continually in contact with dirty and smelly sheep. They had to deal with wounds, injuries, insects, predators, and manure. Their work made shepherds perpetually ceremonially unclean. So, they were treated as outsiders.Shepherds were also considered dishonest. There was the ongoing temptation for shepherds to make a little more money on the side. For the shepherds to tell the owners that a sheep had been lost, stolen or eaten. Then to sell the wool or the sheep. So, it was forbidden to buy wool, milk or a lamb from a shepherd on the assumption that this was stolen property. Shepherds had a reputation – either deserved or undeserved – of being dishonest. They were on the lowest rung of society – along with tax collectors and prostitutes.The birth announcement of the Son of God doesn't come to kings or queens, emperors or high priests. The proclamation of the Savior of the world doesn't come to the religious, political or social elite. This announcement comes to lowly shepherds out in their fields at night. This is a proclamation that is given to the lowest of society. It's meant for people like us!The announcement of the arrival of the Good Shepherd is first given to shepherds. The proclamation of the Lamb of God is heard first by literal little lambs. The King of all creation comes among the lowliest of all creation – shepherds and sheep.This was no ordinary birth, because this was no ordinary baby. He was certainly a very real baby – a crying, hungry baby that wanted his mother's milk and later needed his diaper changed. This was no ordinary baby because he was at the same time Mary's Son and God's Son. He was God incarnate – divinity wrapped in humanity. He is God in the flesh, the Savior, Christ the Lord, who was born to live perfectly, die innocently, and rise gloriously to remove sin from everyone – from Bethlehem shepherds to Roman emperors.From the millions of the angelic host, one angel is given the unique privilege in history to make an announcement to humanity. "Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12).This angel had every right to say, "Listen up, you bums! If only you had been better and done better, God wouldn't have had to do such a drastic thing. He has given his only begotten Son to you, gift-wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough for cattle. You'd better appreciate it!" The angel had every right to say that … but he didn't.Instead, he announced the gospel – the good news – of the long-awaited Savior first promised to Adam and Eve, then to Abraham and Sarah, then to King David and later to King Ahaz. The fulfillment of that promise was here. This is a message of joy – not happiness. There's a difference. Happiness is based on inner feelings and our response to outward actions. Happiness is a temporary, external feeling. Joy is a deeper, lasting state of contentment that is unaffected by feelings or circumstances.This good news is meant for all people. We know from experience how vicious middle school, high school, college, and the military can be. Girls can be mean, spiteful, and exclusive. Guys can be combative and hurtful when they're attempting to be humorous. It's hard to fit in. It can feel like nobody wants you in their little friend group. It can be lonely when you're excluded from the cool kids' table.The message of the Savior is for all people – the rich and powerful, the lowly and poor, the cool kids and jocks, the nerds and geeks, the extroverts, introverts, and outcasts.The angel gives directions to the shepherds on how to find this newborn Christ and Lord. This baby will be found in Bethlehem, the town of David. He'll be lying in a manger, because there was no room for the holy family in the Bethlehem inn. He'll be wrapped in swaddling cloths, kept warm and snuggly."Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God" (Luke 2:13). After thousands of years of waiting, "suddenly" the wait for the Messiah is over. After the angel Gabriel announced to Mary and then to Joseph about the birth of the Christ, suddenly he's here. After announcing that the shepherds didn't need to be afraid of this lone angel, suddenly the sky above the Bethlehem pastures explodes with glory from a multitude of God's heavenly army. God had chosen his best angelic messenger to appear to the shepherds. Then he chose his best singers to be in the angelic choir. They belted out, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind" (Luke 2:14).This song in Latin is Gloria in Excelsis, meaning "Glory in the highest." We sing this song on Sunday mornings after the confession and absolution. We confess our sins to God, then we hear the pastor announce that our sins have been forgiven by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. This announcement of Jesus' forgiveness establishes peace in our hearts, that then produces praise on our lips.We join with those in the worship service, as well as the heavenly choir of saints and angels, to praise our Triune God. Just as the angels praised Jesus at his birth, so we praise Jesus as the Son of God, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep, and the Lamb of God who shed his blood on the altar of the cross. Martin Luther said of the Gloria in Excelsis that we sing in worship, "It did not grow, nor was it made, but it came from heaven."Gloria in Excelsis. Glory to God in the highest. Glory to the God who is on high, exalted above the world, the ruler over all that exists. Glory to the God who gives his greatest gift of his Son to an undeserving world. Glory to the God who places himself under his own law to save his lawless children. Glory to the God who will one day endure his own wrath to rescue his rebellious children from God's righteous wrath. Glory to the God whom the universe cannot contain, yet he had contained himself within the womb of Mary for nine months. Glory to the God who left his eternal seat on his golden throne, surrounded by saints and angels to born in time and laid in a manger surrounded by Saint Mary and Saint Joseph."On earth peace, good will toward mankind." This is a world in desperate need of peace. The past few days are evidence of this. Islamic terrorists killed 15 people at a Hanukkah Festival in Australia. Two people were murdered and nine more injured at a mass shooting at Brown University. Princess Bride director, Rob Reiner and his wife were stabbed to death in their home, apparently by their son.Jesus comes to bring peace. It is a peace that the world cannot bring. His peace stops this kind of violence when hearts are converted by the Holy Spirit. This is a peace of sins forgiven, heaven won, and reconciliation with the glorious Triune God. Peace enjoyed in this world wherever the Spirit teaches hearts to trust the Father's goodwill revealed in the person of Mary's Son.Is it any wonder such a large delegation of heaven's army would join this Christmas choir? Is it any wonder as Christmas 2025 dawns – with all this year's perplexing problems – that this message of glory to God and peace on earth still needs to be sounded to comfort our own hearts? It is any wonder that the rest of this weary world needs to hear and sing the Gloria in Excelsis? God's goodwill through this infant is an invitation that was first given to shepherds. That means this announcement is meant for everyone.Remember, this was a one-time performance by the angelic choir. The angel army has no second concert planned.Instead, God has called his baptized saints to be his new heralds. We Lutherans are especially called to sing. We'll be singing nine hymns on Christmas Eve and five more hymns on Christmas Day. We sing the Gloria in Excelsis in our Sunday morning liturgies. We saintly singers are privileged to repeat the refrain again and again, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind." Amen.Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let your glory be over all the earth (Psalm 57:11)View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/gloria-in-excelsis-the-song-of-the-angels/

Prière à saint Joseph

Delivered by Melissa Heidy from the Parish of Christ the King in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Jeremiah 23: 5-8; Rs psalm 72: 1-2.12-13.18-19; Matthew 1: 18-24.JOSEPH,AN EXPERT OF CRHRISTMAS Ourmeditation today is entitled Joseph, an Expert of Christmas. In theGospel of Matthew that we have just heard, an angel speaks to Joseph in a dreamand says: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.She is pregnant through the Holy Spirit. The child to be born through Mary—youmust name Him Jesus.” Josephwas surely disappointed and embarrassed when he learned that Mary was pregnant.To help him understand, God had a plan. He sent an angel who could explainGod's will wisely. From the very beginning, the angel gained Joseph's attentionby calling him a descendant of David. By reminding Joseph of his connection tothe great King David, the angel showed him that he had a specialresponsibility. Joseph understood that he must obey and follow God's plan. Wehuman beings are often like this as well. When the name of a respected or holyperson is mentioned, we are more willing to listen and change our minds. We aretaught to follow the examples of great, noble, and holy people. When we aretempted to do something wrong, their example helps us reconsider our decisions. Inthis way, Joseph is truly an expert of Christmas. He teaches us how to evaluateourselves and remain faithful. A few days ago, we celebrated Gaudete Sunday.May the joy of Christmas not distract us from what the most important thing is—thatour hearts and spirits need to be purified. Our joy must be accompanied byobedience to God, so that we are not led into temptation. Josephis a true guide for Christmas. He teaches us to take risks for what is rightand to remain faithful to the right decisions. As individuals, families, andcommunities, we will make choices as we celebrate Christmas and the New Year.May our decisions strengthen our faith. Even if there are risks, may theyalways lead us closer to God. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Amen. Let uspray. In the name of the Father…O Lord,help us imitate Saint Joseph as we prepare for Christmas. Help us remainfaithful and obedient to You.Glory be tothe Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…In the name of theFather…

4th Sunday of Advent - A - Sunday, December 21, 2025 (EPISODE-561 ) Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1417111835 - FLORENCE, ITALY - JANUARY 11, 2019: Altarpiece of Saint Joseph the Worker, by Pietro Annigoni in the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy. Editorial Use Only.Photo Contributor - Zvonimir Atletic 4th Sunday of Advent - A - Sunday, December 21, 2025 (EPISODE-561 ) Readings for Sunday, December 21, 2025 - 4th Sunday of Advent - A FIRST READING: Isa 7:10-14 Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6. "Let the Lord enter, he is king of glory" SECOND READING: Rom 1:1-7 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 1:23). Alleluia, alleluia! The virgin will give birth to a son; his name will be Emmanuel: God-is-with-us. Alleluia! GOSPEL: Matt 1:18-24 Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1417111835 - FLORENCE, ITALY - JANUARY 11, 2019: Altarpiece of Saint Joseph the Worker, by Pietro Annigoni in the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy. Editorial Use Only.Photo Contributor - Zvonimir Atletic ++++ Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for the 4th Sunday of Advent - A - Sunday, December 21, 2025, by clicking this link here: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (EPISODE-561) +++++ Special Reflection by Seminarian Oliver Bajon: My name is Oliver Bajon, and this is the fourth Sunday of Advent homily. It is my great honour and privilege to be delivering this homily, as Father Paul has asked me to deliver it. I'm a first-year seminarian with the Holy Spirit Seminary in Banyo, and I'm currently on my pastoral placement here in Surfers Paradise. Make us ready to receive Emmanuel, so that Christ may dwell among us and within us. Amen. +++++ References: Seminarian Oliver Bajon Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1417111835 - FLORENCE, ITALY - JANUARY 11, 2019: Altarpiece of Saint Joseph the Worker, by Pietro Annigoni in the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy. Editorial Use Only.Photo Contributor - Zvonimir Atletic Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: Subscribe to mailing list to keep up-to-date. Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog: "Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly "O Come. Lord. (Advent) HYMN" - In Memory of Paolo Mario (Paul) Giacomantonio (1968-2020). By Paul W. Kelly. Based on the Ancient church "O Antiphons" of Advent. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics, by Stefan Kelk, 2020. Quiet reflection music and hymn - Original musical composition by William John kelly (1942-2017) Lyrics based on the Song of Praise by the Three Young Men, The Book of Daniel 3:24-9. By Paul kelly. Arranged and sung, and with adapted lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2021 [ Production - KER - 2025] May God bless and keep you. Extra Text: unspoken for Advent: - Roman Missal, 3rd edition, 2010, (ICEL) Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. "The Psalms" by The Grail - 1963, 2009. Prayers of the Faithful - Robert Borg "Together we pray" - (1993) .+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Advent has a way of bringing the quiet and the uncomfortable to the surface, and Saint Joseph meets us there with steady strength.In Week Three of A Quiet Light, we reflect on Saint Joseph, Terror of Demons, and pray with Zephaniah 3:11–12—a lesser-known passage that reminds us God draws near to the humble and the lowly. Joseph shows us that real strength isn't loud or forceful. The word we're sitting with this week? ✨ Courage. The kind that steps into the dark places trusting God is already there.Our invitation this week is simple: bring what's hidden into the light. Take a few quiet moments to examine your heart, and if you're able, consider reconciliation as a way to make room for peace and joy.Don't miss the Cutting Room Floor at the end for deeper reflections, personal stories, and a few moments that didn't make it into the main episode. ............................... 

Brenna Dinon joined Summer Stage as an Apprentice while she was a student at Saint Bernadette's in Drexel Hill. She hung around for several summers performing in Children's Theatre shows and with The Shooting Stars, eventually joining the staff. She graduated from Saint Joseph's University and works out of her East Falls home as an author, copywriter, and creator. Please follow the link to Amazon to see the RP Minis that she created. I hope you enjoy our conversation, so come along and have some fun. . .Link to Brenna's Mini-kits available on AmazonLink to the video Brenna and Dwight made during the pandemicWe all have stories to tell, and they can be heard here. Welcome to Brave and Strong and True, a podcast that engages Summer Stage alumni of all ages. I'm Bob Falkenstein.Our music is composed and performed by Neil McGettigan https://neilmcgettiganandtheeleventhhour.bandcamp.com/releases. Please click on the link to visit Neil's BandCamp website to listen to songs from his album, including cut number 7, “Harry Dietzler.” Please support Neil's work by buying downloads of your favorites.Please follow Brave and Strong and True on Apple Podcasts. While you're there, please rate the show and leave a comment.  If you want to be a guest on Brave and Strong and True, please contact me at braveandstrongandtrue@gmail.com. I can record five guests simultaneously, so reach out to your friends for an online mini-reunion.You must have the latest version of the Google Chrome browser on your desktop or laptop computer. I can now record interviews with guests who have iPads or iPhones. It helps if you have an external microphone and headphones, but Apple earbuds work too; however, Bluetooth ones are not 100% reliable, so see if you can borrow wired ones.Support the showUpper Darby Summer Stage is now part of the non-profit organization known as the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation. Justin Heimbecker is the Executive Director of the UDAEF. If you can support Summer Stage financially, please visit udsummerstage.org to find out more. Calling all alumni. You are invited to join the newly forming Upper Darby Summer Stage Alumni Association. Please follow their journey on Facebook and let them know who you are and how you would like to participate by completing their survey. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhsawqmXCP_xvBgaAp-p_Qx7mFdEGSrXGr7tvcBByIbrRolg/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawLnHi9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFad2dYVE9vUktCck15c0ZkAR74qth55MAixuxK4-9kkdlZblik6wc0iEVKMfzX80IlXprMdAUQRAyJUn5LxA_aem_mPsQyGx6X5TFyTGxXKVd9A

It's time to MAN UP on Morning Light! Each week at this time, we talk with gentlemen from across the Diocese of Boise, getting our hands dirty on a variety of topics affecting Catholic men today. Gene Weckman from the Camas Prairie joins us today to share his thoughts on the theme for the month of December - "The Silent Strength of Saint Joseph." 

Advent is a good time to slow down a little, and St. Joseph the Workman shows us what it looks like to stay steady and trust God in the middle of everyday life.In Week Two of A Quiet Light, we focus on St. Joseph the Workman and pray with Matthew 11:28–30—Jesus' reminder that we don't have to carry everything alone. Joseph lived this in a very real way. The word we're sitting with this week? ✨ Rest. The kind of rest that comes from putting things back in God's hands.Our invitation this week is simple: let your daily work become a place to talk to God. Whether you're doing chores, driving, or checking things off your list, bring Him into it. Let Him lighten the load.Don't miss the Cutting Room Floor at the end for some extra stories and moments we couldn't fit into the episode.

Delivered by Jeril from the Parish of Saint Joseph in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Isaiah 40: 25-31; Rs psalm 103: 1-2.3-4.8.10; Matthew 11: 28-30.OVERCOMING WEAKNESSES The title for ourmeditation today is: Overcoming Weaknesses. Our preparation during Adventseason for welcoming the Lord's coming, among the many things to do, issomething that will be the focus of our today's reflection, namely to overcomeour own weaknesses. Our deficiency in the form of physical and mental pain orilness is the most common weakness in us. The surce of this weakness is eitherfrom within or outside ourselves. All weaknesses inthis world and in our lives are temporary. For example, people who have canceror high blood pressure will experience their freedom only after they die. Afterdeath they no longer have cancer or high blood pressure. Many people and maybeyou often complain and say this following statement: "How long will mypatience be in the midst of problems and sufferings I face?" This is thegeneral attitude of us human beings towards the weaknesses that we have, and weseem to believe that problems and sufferings are heavier than our abilities toovercome. Our weaknesses oftenseem so real that they can be seen by others. With the existence of a verywidespread communication tools and the mentality of people today to freely spreadinformation, these weaknesses easily become so interested by many people. Oftenin this way, people who are victims of oppression, harassment or slander willsuffer even more greater. Human weaknesses are thus easy to become a tool ofoppression, violence and profit for those who have power. From the point ofview of the Christian faith, this weakness in humans must be transformed tobecome strength, to be more positive and to encourage us to live a good life inaccordance with God's will. If God's will requires a person to be faithful inhis daily prayers and Sunday obligation, he must change the habit of forgettingthem or the tendency to overwork so to cause him not anymore having enough timefor God. Faith in God always has a function to correct human weaknesses andshortcomings, so that we can restore again our dignity as true human persons.   In this moment ofAdvent, it is very necessary to renew wrong attitudes and bad habits thatprevent us from doing good. Since people are often not able to get out of theirown weaknesses, it is very necessary to rely on God's power to overcome thoseweaknesses. The book of the prophet Isaiah confirms that God Almighty givesstrength to those who are weak. Likewise the Lord Jesus Christ invites andattracts people who are weak, tired and weary to come to Him. He provides allpossibilities to make them refreshed and recovered. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O most loving Lord, strengthen us so that we can renew ourselves from ourweaknesses and become more passionate to love you and our neighbours. Glory tothe Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father...

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It's time to MAN UP on Morning Light! Each week at this time, we talk with gentlemen from across the Diocese of Boise, getting our hands dirty on a variety of topics affecting Catholic men today. Dcn. Eric Meyer from St. Augustine's in Moscow joins us today to share his thoughts on the theme for the month of December - "The Silent Strength of Saint Joseph"

Welcome to Week One of A Quiet Light, our Advent journey with Saint Joseph from Advent to Epiphany. If you missed the introduction episode, go back and give it a listen — it sets the tone for everything we're walking through together.This week, we're sitting with the title Saint Joseph, Most Faithful and praying with Psalm 122:1–9, the psalm Joseph himself would've prayed and carried in his heart. The word that stands out this week? Peace. Peace in a season that often feels anything but peaceful.In the episode, we talk about: • How Saint Joseph lived a simple, steady rhythm of prayer — not to check a box, but to stay rooted in God all day long. • How his quiet faithfulness invites us into deeper spiritual discipline, not perfection. • The power of posture and praying with our whole body — kneeling, lighting a candle, creating sacred space. • How the artwork for this week reflects Joseph's urgency to pray and his readiness to respond to God. • What it means to become “expectant” with hope — not just for Mary, but for Joseph as a father preparing his heart for Jesus.Your challenge for Week One:Choose one small resolution that brings more light and intention into your prayer this week. Maybe it's five extra minutes using Lectio Divina with Scripture, kneeling beside your bed, or praying with a candle lit — one quiet step toward faithfulness.Tune in, pray with us, and let this Advent begin gently, quietly, faithfully. Let's Go Be the Light. 

Joseph de Cupertino (1603-1663), parfois appelé « le saint qui volait », est une figure fascinante de l'histoire religieuse. Né Giuseppe Maria Desa à Cupertino, dans les Pouilles (sud de l'Italie), il est aujourd'hui connu comme l'un des mystiques les plus singuliers de l'Église catholique, canonisé en 1767 par Clément XIII.Issu d'une famille très pauvre, il connaît une enfance difficile : maladroit, souvent malade, peu instruit, il peine à trouver sa place. Très jeune, pourtant, il développe une intense vie spirituelle. Il tente plusieurs fois d'entrer chez les franciscains mais est refusé à cause de son manque d'éducation et de ses difficultés sociales. Finalement, il est accepté comme frère lai, puis ordonné prêtre en 1628, ce qui est en soi un petit miracle vu son niveau scolaire.Ce qui le rend célèbre, ce sont ses extases répétées, décrites par des centaines de témoins : fidèles, moines, évêques, autorités civiles… Il suffisait qu'il entende le nom de Dieu, qu'il voit une image sacrée, ou qu'il soit pris par une émotion religieuse intense, et il entrait dans un état de transe. Selon les récits de l'époque, son corps s'élevait alors d'un ou deux mètres dans les airs : c'est le phénomène de lévitation, qu'on lui attribue plus de 70 fois de manière « officielle ». Ces épisodes duraient parfois plusieurs minutes et étaient si impressionnants que les supérieurs ont fini par le cacher du public pour éviter les attroupements.Face à ces manifestations extraordinaires, l'Église, prudente, soumet Joseph à des enquêtes. Il ne sera jamais condamné : aucun signe de fraude ou de trouble mental grave n'est relevé. On estime qu'il vivait dans un état de contemplation extrême, que l'époque interprétait comme surnaturel.Sa vie est également marquée par une grande simplicité, une immense charité, et une compassion profonde, notamment envers les malades et les personnes pauvres. Il passe les dernières années de sa vie à Osimo, où il meurt en 1663.Saint Joseph de Cupertino est aujourd'hui le patron des étudiants en examens, car on raconte qu'il réussit son propre examen d'ordination uniquement grâce à une question miraculeusement simple… et à sa piété. Il est aussi le patron des aviateurs, des astronautes et… des personnes maladroites.En résumé, Joseph de Cupertino est l'un des mystiques les plus mystérieux et les plus attachants du XVIIᵉ siècle : un homme simple, profondément religieux, entouré de récits extraordinaires qui continuent d'intriguer historiens et croyants. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Today’s Topics: 1) Gospel – LK 21:1-4 – When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Blessed Mother, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3) Father Matthew Kauth interview on his new book, The Imitation of Saint Joseph, from TAN BOOKS https://tanbooks.com/products/books/saints/saint-joseph/the-imitation-of-st-joseph/ 4) Catholic 101: Part of showing proper reverence at Mass is showing up prepared for Mass. Here are six simple things every Catholic should do to get ready for the Holy Sacrifice https://ucatholic.com/blog/6-things-you-should-do-before-mass/

It's one week until Advent, we're kicking off this journey with Saint Joseph — the quiet and steady light we didn't know we were aching for. After a year of leaning on our spiritual mamas, the Lord kept tugging our hearts in 2025 toward this good and holy father.We're sharing how Saint Joseph has been showing up for us, why his strength and tenderness matter right now, and how walking with his titles for six weeks — all the way through Christmas and into Epiphany — can help you slow down, breathe, and pray a little deeper this season. We hope you will join us!It's not too late to grab your Quiet Light Devotional to follow along and join us in the saerch for peace. Visit Acadian Religious to grab yours in person or order online at www.wearethelightproject.org.Support the show

Dans cette épisode, Stéphane Glogowski reçoit Jacques de Scoraille. Son livre : Heureux comme un chrétien au travail (éditions Artège) Atelier de Saint Joseph :https://www.atelierdesaintjoseph.fr/

Saints du jour 2025-11-20 Saint Edmond et Bienheureuse Angèle de Saint Joseph et ses compagnes by Radio Maria France

On this episode of Catholic Forum, after a news update from The Dialog, we are honored to introduce Father Joseph F. Chorpenning, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales priest, author, scholar and teacher. His latest book is titled, "Saint Joseph and the Carmelite Reform of Saint Teresa of Avila: Father, Teacher of Prayer, Intercessor in Every Need" available from Catholic University of America Press. We learn about Father Chorpenning's early life, his vocational calling, his ministry as an Oblate and how he became an expert on Saint Joseph and the Holy Family. You can see a video of this interview on the Diocese of Wilmington's YouTube channel - YouTube.com/DioceseofWilm.  Catholic Forum is a production of the Office of Communications of the Diocese of Wilmington. Please like, subscribe and share!

Feeling stressed? You're not alone! And that's exactly the point of this lively episode of Practical for Your Practice! Hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz welcome back the always-animated (and self-proclaimed “gesturing Italian”) Dr. Gabriel Paoletti for a refreshingly human take on stress.From cheesesteaks to “mamma mia” stress cues, this conversation dives into how we can rethink stress, not as something to eliminate, but as a signal that something meaningful is at stake. Dr. Paoletti breaks down how stress can actually help performance, especially when we approach it as a shared experience, a “team sport”, instead of a solo battle.Tune in for practical strategies (and a few laughs) on how to build your “stress team,” use humor to stay grounded, and create simple cues that help you, and those around you, catch stress before it catches you.Bonus: Find out why “halloumi” might be the most unexpectedly perfect stress word ever.You can leave us a voice mail message at speakpipe.com/cdpp4p, or send us an email at cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu. Your message could be featured in an upcoming episode!Dr. Gabriel Paoletti is the Director of Human Performance Optimization (HPO) Integration and HPRC in support of the Advanced Research for Military Optimization, Readiness, and Rehabilitation (ARMORR) – Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), a center at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. He oversees the strategic and operational components of delivering comprehensive health and performance education on Total Force Fitness and Human Performance Optimization to the DoD and national security community. Over the past 15+ years, Dr. Paoletti has applied the latest human performance research to create and lead over 400 distinct human performance optimization and leadership development programs for audiences throughout the world, ranging from leaders at the Pentagon, Army, Marine, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard service members to Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, CEO's and government leaders. Under his leadership, his team has been officially selected to develop holistic human performance curricula for half of the U.S. Armed Forces. Dr. Gabriel Paoletti graduated from Saint Joseph's University with a double major in economics and philosophy, graduating first in his class in both majors. He received his Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and his Doctor of Education in Leadership from Creighton University.Resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/stress/unlock-your-full-potential-hprcs-personal-stress-toolkithttps://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/mental-health/build-your-stress-team Calls-to-action: For example:Identify who is on YOUR stress teamReview the resources from HPRCSubscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

Dans ce nouvel épisode de Toque Toque, découvrez l'histoire du chef Benoît Bordier. Ancien chef du restaurant étoilé Jean à Paris, ce cuisinier instinctif dirige aujourd'hui avec sa femme le bistrot Saint-Joseph à la Garenne Colombe, en région parisienne.Son ADN, c'est l'instinct, les assemblages improbables sortis de son imaginaire. Mais l'intuition a son côté sombre. Quand elle n'est pas récompensée, elle provoque des tourments. Les cuisiniers éprouvent les mêmes joies et les mêmes angoisses que les artistes : la peur de la page blanche, le bonheur des bonnes critiques et le désespoir quand elles sont mauvaises. Dans la cuisine comme dans la vie, comment fait-on pour oublier ses tourments pour avancer dans ses désirs ? Une série audio proposée par Metro en collaboration avec Le Nouveau Bélier et produite par Lacmé production.Avec la voix de Philippe Maymat, écrit par Romain Weber, réalisé et mixé par Ben Macé sur une musique originale de Pablo Altar et supervisé par Audrey Largouët. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

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Présidence et prédication : Abbé Joseph Demierre Chorale catholique vietnamienne de Lausanne Orgue : Bruno Vezina Présentation : Carole Pirker

On le sait tous, contrairement aux plats mijotés qui sont souvent bien meilleurs le lendemain, le vin aura une fâcheuse tendance à battre de l'aile en termes de goût après 24h. Certes il existe bien quelques gadgets susceptibles d'éviter le massacre. Mais si je vous disais qu'il existe une technique beaucoup plus simple, et surtout complètement gratuite pour conserver toute la fraîcheur de ce Saint-Joseph pendant plusieurs jours… Dans ce nouvel épisode de Parlons Vin, la journaliste Alicia Dorey vous donne sa technique pour conserver votre bouteille de vin plus longtemps, sans perdre ses arômes. Et n'oubliez pas : parlons peu mais Parlons Vin !Vous pouvez écouter cet épisode sur Figaro Radio, le site du Figaro et sur toutes les plateformes d'écoutes.Chronique et rédaction : Alicia DoreyMontage : Astrid LandonPrise de son : Louis ChabainProduction exécutive : Aude Sérès, rédactrice en chef, pôle audio Le FigaroCoordination de production : Salomé Boulet, pôle audio Le FigaroCommunication : Réseaux sociaux Le FigaroVisuel & habillage : Studio design Le FigaroHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Noah Henderson is the Director of the Sport Management Program and a Clinical Instructor at Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business. A widely recognized voice in sport management, his work explores the intersection of law, economics, and the social consequences of college athletics –– with a focus on name, image, and likeness (NIL), athlete labor rights, and sports gambling. Through his teaching, Henderson prepares students to lead in a dynamic era where college sports are rapidly professionalizing. Henderson was at the forefront of NIL implementation. He helped amend Illinois' NIL legislation and played a direct role in establishing early frameworks that facilitated the legal payment of college athletes. He continues to advise athletic departments, brands, and sports agents nationwide on NIL policy, legal compliance, and best practices. He has also provided written analysis that has been entered into the public record, contributing to national discourse on antitrust, roster structures, and athlete access in college athletics. He contributed extensively to Sports Illustrated's NIL Daily, where his reporting and commentary helped shape public understanding of the evolving business of college athletics. His insights have been featured by ESPN, NPR, CNN, PBS, Sportico, the Chicago Tribune, and others. He regularly speaks at accredited seminars and national symposiums, offering expertise on athlete rights and the future of college athletics. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law and a degree in Economics from Saint Joseph's University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team.

Fr. Matthew Spencer joins Patrick to discuss A Happy Death Father Spencer gives an update on the dramatic event that happened in his life? (12:47) how are the sacraments instrumental in a happy death? (19:55) Paul - My father had a happy death. He had a great life, and died well. He gave everything to God all the way to the end which was remarkable. You can say a lot during life and live a lot, but if you're faith is there, and still strong, it represents a good and happy death. (25:22) Break 1 What do you do about the fear of pain of death? (33:18) Sal - How we live a good life and have the thought of purgatory. It's kind of confusing. You lead a good life and do the right things and then there's that possibility. Can you explain? (37:24) Lisa - Anointing of the sick and apostolic pardon. Mother is 93 and in memory care. We did both of those earlier this year. How often can you have that done before death? (42:52) Break 2 Steven - Father and his death. Not close growing up. When he died, he never seemed to have peace. I went into see him. He had a peace on his face. After the funeral, I found out dad was one of 12 kids and his dad was an alcoholic who took abuse from his father. God gives you peace in death and he had it. (49:09) what are some prayers from Saint Joseph for a Happy Death? Resources: Prayer for a Happy Death https://osjusa.org/prayers/for-a-happy-death/

Devin Schadt, founder of The Fathers of Saint Joseph, invites Keith into his home for a fascinating conversation about what it means to establish a Rule of life. https://fathersofstjoseph.org/ Get The Rule: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-rule/ Join Keith on a pilgrimage to France! https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/saints-of-france-with-fr-aaron-junge-and-keith-nester/ For more info about Keith, visit: https://down2earthministry.org/' Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithnestercatholic/ X:https://x.com/KeithNester1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeithNesterCatholic Support Communities: Locals: https://keithnester.locals.com Patreon: https://patreon.com/keithnester

Life as a parent is anything but simple. In this vulnerable episode, Dr. Greg and Fr. Dave Pivonka talk about the complexity of fatherhood, the wounds we carry, and how our vocation starts to make more sense when we begin to see God as Father—and dare to embrace our own weakness. Key Topics: Dr. Greg's raw reflection on feeling helpless as a dad—and what happened when he couldn't hold it all together The words every child longs to hear—and how one moment with his dad changed Fr. Dave's life What Fr. Dave learned at his father's deathbed—and why his family started clapping The surprising power of helplessness—and why it's safe to admit you don't have it all figured out Why obedience isn't restrictive—but actually the key to peace for parents How wounds from divorce, absence, or imperfect fathers still shape us today Why God's Fatherhood isn't just a metaphor—it's the foundation of healing Learn More: “My father's Father” – A Video Series by Fr. Dave Pivonka: A moving exploration of how our human experience of fatherhood affects our view of God the Father—told through Fr. Dave's personal story. Fr. Dave Pivonka on YouTube: Explore Fr. Dave's videos and powerful reflections on faith, fatherhood, and the spiritual life. “Overcoming Anxiety and Depression” – In Focus Series: Fr. Dave sits down with Dr. Greg Bottaro for a powerful series on the spiritual and psychological roots of anxiety and depression—and what real healing looks like. Redemptoris Custos by Pope John Paul II: Read the apostolic exhortation On the Person and Mission of Saint Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church. Catherine Pakaluk: Learn more about economist and Catholic author Dr. Catherine Pakaluk. Franciscan University of Steubenville: Discover more about the university where Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, serves as president. Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn

Fr. Mike introduces us to the Gospel of Matthew, including his genealogy, nativity, and the first days of his ministry. He pulls it all together to show that not only is Jesus reconstituting the kingdom in his ministry, but he's inviting us to join him in this kingdom. Today's readings are Matthew 1-4, and Proverbs 18:17-20. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.