Saint Blaise was a physician and Bishop in Armenia. Blaise has been extremely popular for centuries and many cures were attributed to him.

He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus and was known as a healer of men and animals.

According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own for help.

When Agricola came to Sebaste to persecute Christians and while searching for wild animals for the arena games, rediscovered Blaise deep in prayer, Blaise was arrested, told to recant his faith and was thrown in prison.

While in prison, Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners, including saving a child who was choking on a fish bone; this led to the blessing of throats on Blaise's feast day.

They threw him into a lake but Blaise stood on the surface and invited them to walk out and prove the power of their gods; they drowned.

When he returned to land, he was martyred by being beaten, his flesh torn with wool combs, and then beheading.

Saint Blaise was one of the 24 Holy Helpers

He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He is invoked for all throat afflictions, and on his feast two candles are blessed with a prayer that God will free from all such afflictions and every ill all those who receive this blessing.

Do you have a sore throat? Pray to Saint Blaise for his intercession

We cannot fully appreciate God’s power and glory if we do not actively seek Him. Making Him part of our day to day life is one way to show that we love Him. By being mindful that God is with us, we let His will inform every action, word or thought that we have. 

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There is nothing more important than committing ourselves fully to our relationship with God because to do this is a supreme act of humility. We recognize that our lives are not our own and we realize that everything we do will have an impact in our relationship with our Almighty Father. Hence, we would never do things that would hurt Him, in the same way that we would never do things that would hurt the people we love.

Following the second commandment is a lot easier when we completely submit ourselves to the will of God.

This command is best explained in Matthew 5:44-47:

If we take God’s command in light of the preceding Bible verse, “love your neighbor” becomes a lot more challenging. It is easy to love the people we like but it is a completely different matter to love people we do not know, more so the people we don’t like. Furthermore, we are told not to simply love our neighbors but to love them just as we love ourselves. We can only realize the seriousness of this command when we recall what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

God sent His only son, Jesus, to save us from eternal death and to redeem us from all our sins. Through His ultimate sacrifice, Jesus conferred an incredible value on our lives so we have every reason to hold ourselves in high esteem. When we love others as we love ourselves we acknowledge that they, too, have been saved by our Heavenly Father. They were given mercy and grace just as we have been given mercy and grace. So it is understandable that we must treat them with patience, compassion and respect. In other words, we must treat them in the same way that we want to be treated.

St. Stephen is the patron saint of deacons, altar servers, stonemasons and casket makers. Saint Stephen lived an exemplary life as one of the seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to perform charitable acts to the poor. As his feast day draws near, let us look back to his life and legacy and look for lessons we can learn from it.

Saint Stephen was one of the first deacons ordained by the Church. The name Stephen is Greek and according to Acts 6 he is a foreign-born Jew or a Hellenist who spoke Greek. The Hellenists were a minority in the Christian community and they complained that their elderly widows have been neglected.

In response to this pressing concern, the apostles decided to select seven deacons to help them extend their pastoral care to those in need. These deacons were therefore important not just for the pastoral care they provided to the impoverished but because they helped the apostles focus more on teaching.

As the oldest of the seven ordained deacons, Saint Stephen was given the title of archdeacon. He was also recognized for his exemplary gift as an evangelist. Miracles and great preaching were attributed to him and he would engage in important discussions in the synagogues of Diaspora Jews in the capital.

St. Stephen’s popularity stirred up animosity among the Jews, particularly members of the Synagogue of Roman Freedmen. Different members of the synagogues would challenge Stephen’s teachings but he bested them in debates. This only fueled further hostility among his enemies and soon they made false testimonies against him.

St. Stephen was charged with speaking blasphemous things against Moses and God. This accusation provoked a public outcry and the local population demanded that he be tried and sentenced. His opponents dragged him before the Sanhedrin, the supreme rabbinic court in Jerusalem.

In front of the Sanhedrin and his accusers, Stephen gave a long speech about the history of Israel and the blessings that God had given upon His chosen people. This speech is recorded in Acts Chapter 7.

He talked about how, despite God’s mercy and grace, Israel had become disobedient. He then denounced his listeners as “stiff-necked” people who turned against the Holy Spirit just as their ancestors did.

The crowds watching the trial were enraged after being rebuked. Stephen then looked up and told them that he saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. The crowds, however, covered their ears and dragged him out of the city where they stoned him to death.

Even in his final moments, St. Stephen displayed a forgiving spirit and even asked God not to hold the sin of his attackers against them. His words and actions capture some of the most important teachings of Jesus which is about loving our enemies.

Christians buried St. Stephen but the location of his tomb was not specified. It was only in 415 AD that a priest named Lucian had a dream that revealed the site of St. Stephen’s remains. A name inside the tomb confirmed that the gravesite was indeed St. Stephen’s. The relics of the first martyr were then brought to the church of Hagia Sion on December 26, 415 which made the date his feast day.

In religious art, St. Stephen is traditionally depicted with stones, a Gospel Book, a miniature church and a martyr’s palm branch.

The English word martyr is derived from a Greek word which literally means “witness.” In the same way, each and every Christian is called to bear witness to Jesus Christ. This does not necessarily mean shedding blood. Being a witness means we are to be living testimonies of our faith and manifest it by being righteous in our thoughts, words and actions.

The Christmas story is referred to many times throughout the Bible. It captures the beautiful gift that God gave to humankind which is the gift of His only son, Jesus Christ. Christmas reminds us of how Jesus became human in order to save us but it is not just the account of his birth. The Christmas story also lets us see how Christ’s arrival transformed the lives of the people surrounding Him.

As Christmas Day draws near, let us revisit the Christmas story to remember what this occasion really stands for and learn spiritual lessons from it. It is an opportune time for us to reflect on the birth of Jesus as well as the different people who are part of this beautiful event.

One of the most important figures in Jesus’ life is His mother, Mary. Jesus’ birth is extraordinary because He was conceived through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Mary herself experienced an Immaculate Conception which means that she was free from sin from the moment she was conceived in the womb of her own mother.

In the same way, Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit. When the angel first told her the news that she would be the mother of God’s Son she was surprised because she was a virgin. The angel assured her that there is nothing impossible with God and at this point Mary accepted her remarkable role as “the handmaid of the Lord” with humility and obedience.

We have a tendency to feel proud and gloat over our achievements or positions. Mary’s devotion to her role as the Mother of God inspires us to be humble and have a heart for others. She raised Jesus righteously and remained steadfast in her faith. Not once did Mary brag about the incredible gift she was given nor did she demand special treatment from the people around her.

God loves us all and like Mary He has a purpose for each of us, a purpose that we should accept with humility and gratitude.

Joseph is another important person in the Christmas story and Jesus’ life. To better understand the context of Jesus’ birth we need to remember that Joseph and Mary lived in a society that followed rigid rules and traditions and many of these were favorable to men. That said, Joseph had the right to leave Mary and protect his reputation when he found out that she was pregnant.

Joseph’s first reaction was to divorce Mary quietly so as not to shame or endanger her. However, God intervened and sent an angel to reveal the remarkable nature of Mary’s pregnancy. After hearing God’s revelation about Jesus’ birth, Joseph obeyed and accepted Mary as his wife.

Joseph’s steadfast devotion to God’s plans is inspiring to us Christians. From his example we learn the importance of trusting our Heavenly Father and setting aside any selfish desires that we might have. When the angel revealed the news to Joseph in a dream, he had a choice to go with the easy and very human path which is cling to his pride, doubt everything and abandon Mary. This was an important test of faith and Joseph chose to obey God and thus help bring about the fulfillment of Jesus’ coming.

Just like Joseph, we sometimes face important choices that would entail putting our complete trust on our Heavenly Father. This can be extremely hard at first especially if we are conditioned to be self-reliant and independent. However, when we realize that God loves and understands us more than anyone can, it only makes sense to trust Him and let Him guide our choices.

On the night of Jesus’ birth, a host of angels announced to a group of shepherds that a savior had been born in the town of Bethlehem. At first the men were terrified at the extraordinary sight before them. The angel, however, assured them that he had good news and the shepherds accepted the announcement of Jesus’ birth with great joy and gratitude in their hearts.

This part of the Christmas story is very interesting to note because during that time, shepherds were generally regarded to be at the bottom of the social ladder. People did not consider them to be important members of society and yet they became a witness to an amazing event.

The shepherds in the Christmas story are a good example of how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. The men in the fields were not powerful or influential people, they were lowly workers tending sheep and yet God chose to send His angels to reveal the good news to them. After hearing about Jesus’ birth the shepherds immediately set out to see the Christ child and praised God for this rare privilege.

God values us regardless of our social status and achievements. More important, He wants each one of us to be part of His desire to spread the news of salvation.

What other lessons did you learn from the Christmas story? How do you plan to apply these lessons to your own walk of faith?

Let us look into the history of Christmas Day and find out why we celebrate it on December 25.

Christmas means the Mass of Christ.

One of the reasons that supports why Jesus’ birth could have happened in the spring is because the Jewish festival of Passover is observed during springtime. This occasion commemorates the time when the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt more than 1,000 years before Jesus’ birth and involved sacrificing lambs in the Temple of Jerusalem.

During Passover, Jews from all over the Roman Empire would travel to Jerusalem making it an appropriate time to take a census. According to the Bible, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for the census.

Jesus could also have been born in autumn and the reason for this is that the Jewish festival of “Sukkot” or the “Feast of Tabernacles” happens in this season. Sukkot is a time when Jews celebrate the faithfulness of God, particularly when He sustained them after they escaped Egypt, as well as the end of harvest season.

Bible scholars generally agree that Sukkot would be a possible time for Christ’s birth because it would explain why there was no room in the inn in Bethlehem. Secondly, the Jewish people would put up temporary shelters during Sukkot. Additionally, the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem most likely happened in either spring or autumn.

So if Jesus Christ was not born on December 25, then why do we celebrate His birth on that date?

Before the 3rd Century AD, Christmas Day was not celebrated on December. In fact, some religious leaders rejected the idea of observing Christmas. For example, the Biblical scholar and philosopher Origen opposed the idea of honoring Christ in the same way that pagan gods and kings were honored which was through birthdays. If it was observed at all, Christ’s birth was held on the same date as the Feast of the Epiphany, one of the first established feasts of the Christian church which takes place on January 6.

Some religious authorities, however, were more open to the idea of celebrating Christ’s birth and they speculated on possible dates. These dates include May 20 which was favored by Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, however, campaigned for January 2. Other popular dates include April 18, April 19, May 28, November 17, November 20 and March 25.

Around the year 243 AD, a treatise proposed March 21 as the date of Christmas Day since this was believed to be the date that God created the sun. Polycarp, the Christian bishop of Smyrna, supported the idea that the birth and baptism of Jesus most likely took place on a Wednesday because, as in the book of Genesis, the sun was created on the fourth day. 

Many families gather together on Christmas day to celebrate and spend time with one another. Here are 5 ideas on how you and your family can make your get-together more meaningful.

Christmas Season is a busy time and it’s easy for us to get lost in holiday shopping sprees and preparations for parties and forget what the occasion truly means. Christmas is all about the magnificent gift that God sent for humankind which is His own son, Jesus Christ.

On Christmas Day, we remember how thousands of years ago, Jesus was born as a human child. The birth of Christ marked the beginning of His journey to redeem us from sin and prepare us for a life in eternity with our Heavenly Father.

One of the simplest things we can do to put the true meaning of Christmas at the center of all our activities is to read and reflect upon the original Christmas Story in the Bible. Set aside ample time in your Christmas gatherings to go over the Biblical story of Jesus’ birth. Ask family members to share their thoughts and realizations after reading the story.

Ask the family to help you in setting up a Nativity scene in your living room or if you have bigger ornaments and sculptures you can set it up in the lawn so others can see the display.

Another well-loved Christmas decoration is the Christmas tree and you can hang Christian imagery like crosses, doves and the ichthus symbol on the branches. If children are helping out, use this as a time to explain the meaning of these symbols. 

Religious jewelry like four-way medals is another great gift idea and these can serve as a means to remind the wearer about their devotion to God. Give younger family members coloring books based on Bible stories to help encourage them to read the Bible.

The Church is a congregation of Christ’s family and what better way to celebrate Christmas than with our spiritual family? Going to church lets us hear God’s Word which is necessary nourishment for our souls. Mass also unites us with other followers of Christ and reminds us that we are not alone in our journey here on earth. There are others who share our struggles and, more important, we can help one another grow in our faith.

Make sure to include mass in your activities during the holidays. This activity is another great way for us to recall and reflect what Christmas truly is about.

Ask God to reveal what organization is best suited for your advocacy and skills by praying for guidance. Contact the group that you are interested in and ask how you can help out and the schedules they have available.

To put Christ at the center of all our Christmas celebrations and activities, here are some questions you can reflect on:

• Will my holiday activities bring me closer to God or will they distract me from the spiritual meaning of this occasion?
• Will my activities help me become a better and more faithful follower of Christ beyond the holiday season?
• Will the Christmas gifts I give strengthen my loved ones’ faith?
• How can I make family gatherings during the holidays more conducive to spiritual discussions?

What is your favorite thing to do during Christmas Day? How do you plan to spend the holidays this year?

The Four Way Medal or sometimes called the Five Way Medal combines four medals that are significant to our Catholic Faith. The Four Way Medal often comes in the form of a cruciform (cross shape) but there are variations like a diamond shape or a rounded shape. 

When we look closely at the medal, we see four (or five) well-known Catholic symbols that capture different elements of our faith. The following are the meaning of each symbol:

A religious medal is usually made of metallic material ad shaped in an oval, round or cross. They commonly depict religious images like an image of our Lord, the Holy Mother or a saint. These medals can also commemorate religious sites like shrines, spiritual events in one’s life like the first communion or an important historical event like an apparition of the Holy Mother. We usually wear religious pendants around our necks or attach them to a rosary or keychain so we can carry them wherever we go.

Medals are technically considered sacramentals or sacred symbols that bear resemblance to the sacraments. They symbolize effects, particularly spiritual effects, that are made possible through the intercession of the Church.

The wearing of religious medals has been practiced for a long time by people who are part of the Catholic Faith. Archaeologists have found a medal crafted in the 2nd century bearing the images of St. Peter and St. Paul and another one depicting St. Lawrence the Martyr which may have been crafted in the 4th century.

The tradition of wearing religious Jewelry may have been a way for the early Christians to Christianize the popular pagan practice of wearing amulets or talismans as a means of protection. Instead of banning the use of these amulets, the early Christians replaced it with religious medals and removed the pagan roots and magical associations.

St. Zeno of Verona recorded a popular tradition of giving religious necklaces to newly baptized Christians as a way to mark their baptism and reception into the church. A story about the life of St. Genevieve also told how St. Germain placed a pendant impressed with a sign of the cross around her neck, a reminder of her vow of chastity.

In the Middle Ages, medals were given to pilgrims who visited religious sites like St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. During the 13th century until the French Revolution, the jetons became popular. This type of medal was characterized by the initials of the wearer marked on one side while the other side contained a pious saying such as “Love God and Praise Him”or “Hail Mary, Mother of God.”

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In the 16th century, Pope St. Pius V started blessing religious medals and attached an indulgence to them. This started the use of religious medals and pendants as we know them today.

One of the most popular religious medals is the Four Way Medal which is unique for combining four separate medals into one, hence the name.

Do you wear a religious necklace? What is the significance of your medal to your Catholic Faith?

Here are a few of our most popular Four Way Medals & Five Way Medals

We pray for Saint Lucy's intercession in our lives for the preservation of the light of our eyes. She's the patron saint of the blind and visually impaired.

According to Catholic Faith teachings, the Holy Mother appeared four times to Juan Diego and once to his ailing uncle. The first Marian apparition happened on December 9, 1531 while the Mexican native was on his way to Mass.

On the Hill of Tepeyac, Juan Diego saw a radiant maiden who introduced herself as the Virgin Mary, the “mother of the very true deity.” Mary revealed to Juan Diego her desire for a church to be built on the hill.

Juan Diego encountered many obstacles while carrying out his task. First, he was unable to immediately convince the bishop to construct the church because he was by no means an influential person. Juan Diego was also busy taking care of his uncle who was gravely ill. Despite these limitations and setbacks, the Virgin Mary encouraged Juan Diego to hold on to his spiritual calling, appearing to him three more times to help him move forward. 

When Juan Diego relayed Mary’s instructions for a church, the bishop asked for proof that his vision was true and divine. The Holy Mother then instructed Juan Diego to bring the promised sign to the bishop by collecting all the roses blooming on top of the hill and keeping them in his cloak.

Juan Diego was doubtful he would find any flowers at first because the area was known to be rocky and bad for vegetation. Surprisingly, though, he found many roses at the top and brought them to the Blessed Mother.

Mary rearranged the flowers and told Juan Diego to show them only to the bishop. Once Juan Diego appeared before Juan de Zumarraga, the bishop was amazed because an image of the Holy Mother was impressed on the fabric of Juan Diego’s cloak. This miracle finally convinced the bishop of the authenticity of Juan Diego’s words.

Another extraordinary event was the healing of Juan Diego’s gravely ill uncle. The Holy Mother appeared to the sick man just as she promised. Aside from miraculously restoring his health, she instructed him that her image should be known from then on as Santa Maria de Guadalupe.

There are many lessons that we can can learn from the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the faith of Saint Juan Diego. Here are four which we can remember and apply in our personal lives:

In the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we see that God calls ordinary people to do His work. Juan Diego was by no means wealthy, influential or prominent during his time. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about him and he himself admitted his limitations to the Blessed Mother when he could not get her request for a church granted. Nonetheless, she assured him that he was the person she specifically chose for the task. 

We do not need to rely on our personal achievements or talents, these things are temporary and practically worthless in the perspective of eternity. God’s intervention and our faith in Him are the only things that can truly make us extraordinary.

Each one of us has a God-given purpose. We are alive for a divine reason but unfortunately some of us are content with just chasing after superficial pursuits like wealth, material possessions and fame. While there is nothing wrong with living a life of comfort and prosperity, it becomes problematic when these earthly things blind us to our spiritual call and limit what we can truly do with our lives.

To better appreciate Juan Diego’s extraordinary dedication to his call, we need to understand that he was living at a time when paganism and idolatry was rampant. Juan Diego was not content to be merely be a spectator in his troubled times. He went against the flow and did something different. He had his doubts at first and this is a common human response to unfamiliar situations but ultimately he found the courage to take a stand and do the task that was given to him.

Juan Diego was not afraid to follow his spiritual call and pursue his higher purpose. His legacy is a shining testament to the great things that we can do for as long as we submit to God’s will.

For example, Juan Diego experienced self doubt and fear while carrying out his mission, the bishop expressed skepticism and hesitation when learning about the apparition and Juan Diego’s uncle suffered from ill health. All these sentiments and concerns are relatable to all of us which further underscores the importance of having God in our lives.

God, through Our Lady of Guadalupe, reassured Juan Diego and gave him the confidence he needed to do the task that was given to him. He never left Juan Diego alone even when Juan Diego was doubtful and fearful. Similarly, when the bishop asked for proof, the Holy Mother herself prepared the roses and gave particular instructions to Juan Diego in order to cast all doubts.

Finally, the miraculous healing of Juan Diego’s ailing uncle is proof that nothing is impossible with God. He knows that we have our own human problems such as sickness and He considers these equally important as our spiritual concerns.

Our Heavenly Father understands our needs and struggles more than we understand them. More important, He is our mighty savior and will meet these needs through His unwavering grace.

This can be extremely challenging in today’s world when we are shaped to become self-sufficient and independent. It is scary to let go of our sense of control and yet when we realize that no one understands and loves us the way God does, it only makes sense to let Him be our guide and source of strength. He is the only one who can truly fulfill our needs and give us the confidence we need to survive in today’s world.

The Advent Season starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day or the Sunday that is closest to November 30 and it ends on Christmas Eve or December 24th. If Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is considered the fourth Sunday of Advent and the time after sundown is considered to be Christmas Eve. 

To prepare for the beautiful celebration of Advent, let’s look into its meaning and reflect its importance in our lives as Christians.

Advent is a season marked by great expectation, celebration and longing not just for Christmas or Christ’s birth but His eventual return. The spirit of Advent Season is best illustrated in the Parable of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew 25:1-14

Our hearts and souls must be ready when the Lord returns. Like the wise virgins in the story, we must stay faithful, vigilant and totally consumed by our devotion to Him.

Like all celebrations and special events in our Catholic Faith, Advent presents us with a wonderful opportunity to look back on our spiritual journey and think about the things that we can do to strengthen our relationship with God. Here are some questions relevant to the spirit of this season:

As followers of Christ we need to strengthen our personal relationship with Him. It is through this bond that we can live in joyful anticipation of His arrival. We would never look forward to seeing someone if we did not love and care for them. For this reason, we need to be committed in cultivating our spiritual ties to our Heavenly Father.

What we can do to prepare: Take time to pray each day, read and reflect on the Word of God and find a community of fellow believers that can help you grow spiritually.

Nowadays Advent Season has become very commercialized with much focus placed on buying gifts and throwing lavish Christmas parties. It is very easy for us to lose ourselves in these superficial pursuits but we must not lose sight of the original purpose of this special time and that is Christ. 

What we can do: Make a list of activities that you can do during Advent and Christmas that are aligned with Christ’s teachings. These can include attending Mass, doing charity work and praying with the family.

Am I living my life with eternity in mind?

Our lives here on earth is just a short series of notes in the entire symphony that makes up eternity. We therefore need to be careful with our choices and consider them in light of the bigger picture. Every thought, word and action ripples into eternal effects and creates a legacy that we will be remembered by.

What we can do: Use God’s Word as a guidance system for your plans and spend time to pray about any decisions that you are about to make.

How do you plan to observe Advent this year?

What is the significance of this occasion to your life?

In 1524, a group of 12 Franciscan missionaries arrived in Mexico. Juan Diego and his wife, Maria Lucia, converted to Catholicism and became the first to be baptized in the region. He was very devoted to his new life and this devotion manifested in how he would walk long distances in order to receive religious instructions from the Franciscan mission station in Tlatelolco.

On December 9, 1531, Saint Juan was visited by the Virgin Mary while he was on his way to attend Mass and celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. He encountered the wondrous sight of a radiant woman who spoke to him in his native tongue as the “ever perfect holy Mary, who has the honor to be the mother of the true God.”

Mary instructed Juan Diego to ask the local bishop to build a chapel in her honor on Tepeyac Hill, which had been the site of a pagan temple. When he relayed the request to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, he was doubtful at first and asked that Juan Diego give him time to ponder over the news.

Later that day, the Virgin Mary appeared once again to Juan Diego and he told her that he had failed at getting her request granted. He tried to explain to her that he was just an ordinary person and not the right one for such an important duty but the Virgin Mary insisted that he was the man she was looking for.

He returned to the bishop the next day and once again told him of the request he was given. This time, the bishop asked him for proof that his vision was indeed real and divine.

Juan Diego immediately went to Tepeyac where the Virgin Mary appeared to him for a third time. He explained the bishop’s concerns to her and she agreed to give them proof the next day, December 11.

The church was finally built on Tepeyac Hill the next year. Juan Diego’s cloak with the miraculous image was put in display on the church.

News of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary caused many Indians to convert to the Christian Faith. As much as 3,000 Indians converted every day because of Juan Diego’s inspiring story and the Holy Mother’s words.

Saint Juan Diego moved to a small hermitage situated on Tepeyac Hill. He lived a simple and solitary life characterized by prayer and work. He lived his remote settlement until his death on December 9, 1548.

Juan Diego’s miraculous cloak has remained in good condition until the present day. The Basilica of Guadalupe, the church where it is displayed, is one of the world’s most visited religious sites.

Juan Diego was canonized on July 31, 2002.

In Catholic Faith teachings, The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that talks about the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and describes it as pure and not tainted by original sin. This belief is a distinctive part of Catholic Faith teachings.

In 1854 Pope Pius IX dogmatically defined the Immaculate Conception in his papal bull, “Inefabilis Deus,” but many people have held onto the belief that Mary was sinless from birth and had an Immaculate Conception since the Late Antiquity.

Mary was very close to Jesus Christ and it was this distinctive relationship that allowed her to receive the “fullness of grace” from God that let her become sinless. Without this God-given grace, Mary would not have been free from sin and would simply be just an ordinary woman.

When Mary said “yes” to be the mother of Christ, she also received the special privilege of being immaculate and sinless. As Catholics, we believe that God wanted a woman who was perfectly pure to give birth to His son.

The Bible is made up of stories of men and women who are chosen by God to fulfill His plan on earth. Mary is one of those significant people and it is through her that Jesus Christ was able to enter the world, become human and give us the precious gift of salvation. Through Mary, Jesus was able to share in our humanity, go through our struggles and ultimately sacrifice Himself to redeem us from our sins.

Notable religious figures like St. Augustine said, “Every personal sin must be excluded from the Blessed Virgin Mary for the sake of the honor of God.” Many other Church fathers have described Mary as being sinless and immaculate. This all shows that belief of the Immaculate Conception has been around since the formative years of the Church.

What is the personal significance of the Immaculate Conception in your life? How do you plan to celebrate the feast of Mary?

Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of bakers, brides, and children. It is said that he helped a poor family in need. When one of the daughters came of age, he would give each daughter a purse full of gold coins.

God is known for his understanding and mercy. In God’s word, the rich and powerful are asked to show mercy to the widow and orphan.When Zacharias was caught stealing the people’s taxes, he was shown great mercy by Jesus who forgave him and gave him the chance to mend his old ways. There is Joseph, son of Jacob, who was sold to slavery by his brothers. God did not punish his brothers for their betrayal.

Though they are sometimes interchangeable, mercy and compassion do not always go together. It is possible to show mercy without feeling compassion. This is evident in the matters of law and justice. A judge may pardon or give a lenient sentence, not because he necessarily feels compassion for the defendant but because he feels public pressure to do so and it contributes to his image.

Mercy may also be shown by someone who has the upper hand, like the landlord to the tenant, because the former wants to latter to be humbled and feel beholden to him. At the same time, one can feel compassion without exhibiting mercy. This happens when we witness someone’s suffering and feel bad about it but do nothing to help.

The Catholic tradition introduces the virtue of solidarity. This bridges mercy and compassion. It is not merely the vague feeling of compassion but a compassion that leads one to action. It compels one not just to show mercy and feel compassion but most importantly, to do something that will alleviate the sufferings of others.

God, who has limitless mercy and compassion, gives us this mission. Just as he forgives and takes delight in the conversion of sinners, we as His people should take his example and march in solidarity. We are not only capable of feeling but also of doing.

The word creed is anglicized from “credo,” a Latin word that means “I believe.” During its formative years, the Catholic Church developed statements of beliefs as a guide for their threefold ministry.

This threefold ministry of the church is based on the command that Jesus gave to his disciples at the end of the gospel of Matthew. This command is also known as the Great Commission and through it Jesus instructs us to:

1. Make disciples of all nations
2. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
3. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

The early church created statements that corresponded with its threefold ministry. These statements proclaimed Jesus’ identity as well as the great sacrifice He did for humanity. In its baptizing efforts, the church would profess God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Last but not the least, the church’s mission to teach included proclamations of Jesus’ instructions and teachings about faith.

In the past, the creeds were an important way for the church to instill its mission and help Christians fulfill their duties. The Catholic creed serves the same purpose today. It summarizes the central truths of our faith and it symbolizes the faith of the whole church. When we recite the creed, we proclaim both our individual identity in Christ and our identity as a part of the whole church.

We need to keep in mind that the creed is not meant to replace our personal faith. Rather, it gives substance to our faith. Reciting the different Catholic creeds is a wonderful way for us to remember our salvation and affirm our faith.

Aside from being a personal proclamation of our Catholic beliefs, the creed guides us in the way we must live as Christians. We can think of our Catholic creed as a map for navigating through the real world. It helps us stay within the righteous path and stops us from going astray.

1. God is our creator and father so we can count on Him to love and protect us. 
2. Jesus is our Lord so our lives are not our own.
3. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit through Mary and so He is sinless from birth.
4. Jesus lived a righteous life and died to save us from our sins.
5. Jesus resurrected from the dead and reminds us that we, too, will be resurrected to live in eternity with the Father.
6. Jesus ascended into heaven and intercedes on our behalf.
7. Jesus will return to pass judgment upon the world.
8. The Holy Spirit, as part of the Holy Trinity, united us to Jesus Christ.
9. There is one universal church and God has and always gather and protect His church.
10. We are part of the communion of saints and so we must care for one another as members of God’s family.
11. We have been forgiven of our sins through Christ.
12. We will be resurrected to join God in eternity.

In other words, all members of the Holy Trinity are uncreated, co-eternal and of the same substance. Through the Athanasian Creed, we are reminded that Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity and that his incarnation did not change his divine nature into a human one.

Aside from its religious and spiritual relevance, the Nicene Creed is also historically significant because it reflects the issues raised in the First Council of Nicaea in 325. During that time, many heresies were spread and of them was the doctrine of Arianism which refutes the divinity of Jesus Christ. The Council of Nicaea was convened to address this controversy.

Why do you consider the Catholic creeds important? How do you apply its teachings in your personal life?

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

he suffered death and was buried,  

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven 

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Whoever wills to be in a state of salvation, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic [apostolic/universal] faith, which except everyone shall have kept whole and undefiled without doubt he will perish eternally.

Now the catholic faith is that we worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is One, the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.

So the Father is God, the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God; and yet not three Gods but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; and yet not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be both God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say, there be three Gods or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, nod made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. So there is one Father not three Fathers, one Son not three Sons, and Holy Spirit not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but the whole three Persons are coeternal together and coequal.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped. He therefore who wills to be in a state of salvation, let him think thus of the Trinity.

But it is necessary to eternal salvation that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The right faith therefore is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.

He is God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds, and He is man of the substance of His mother born in the world; perfect God, perfect man subsisting of a reasoning soul and human flesh; equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood.

Who although He be God and Man yet He is not two but one Christ; one however not by conversion of the GodHead in the flesh, but by taking of the Manhood in God; one altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person. For as the reasoning soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ.

Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life eternal, and they who indeed have done evil into eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith, which except a man shall have believed faithfully and firmly he cannot be in a state of salvation.