“I have told you these things so that you will have peace in Me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33

What troubles are you facing in life right now? Are you letting those worries and trials keep you from maintaining your interior peace? God is bigger than those burdens…He has conquered them! Do not allow yourself to lose peace, for the devil knows that you are at your weakest when he has caused you to lose the interior peace you have in Christ. God promises us he has everything under His control. Trust in that.

Challenge: What concrete things can you do this week to cultivate peace in your life?

Find the answer here.

“The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible” (CCC 1577).

What strikes you most from Luke’s account of the Annunciation?

In the sixth month,
the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38

Jesus is coming! Prepare the way of the Lord!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Do you have questions about Catholic teaching on Our Lady? Do your friends? Check out this page on our CatholicsComeHome.org website to learn about the Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Conception…and more.

Holy Mother Mary, pray for us!

A recent message by the Holy Father included the following reflection:

“Reflecting on the day’s reading from the prophet Isaiah, the Holy Father called special attention to the words: ‘There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hands of iniquity.’ Pope Benedict said:

How can we not be struck by this description? It seems to reflect certain aspects of the post-modern world: cities where life has become anonymous and horizontal, where God seems to be absent and only man is master, as if he were the universal architect. Building, work, economy, transport, science, technology, everything seems to depend only upon man. And at times, in this apparently perfect world, terrible things happen, either in nature or society, which make us think that God has withdrawn and has, so to say, left us to our own devices….”

Read more of CatholicCulture’s article by clicking the link above.

Find out the answer here! Click on the “Answer” button to this question on the Priesthood page of our CatholicsComeHome.org website.

Here are some great articles that also deal with priestly celibacy:

Priestly Celibacy

Celibacy of Clergy

Feel free to check out the other questions and answers about the priesthood on the page. And don’t forget to stop by our sister website, EncouragePriests.org!

It is Priesthood Sunday! How are you going to celebrate the life and beautiful vocation of the priests you know?

Visit our website, www.EncouragePriests.org to send spiritual bouquets or “collar hollers” to your priests. If you didn’t celebrate the tremendous gift of the priesthood on Sunday, it’s not too late! Celebrate with us all week!

“After God, the priest is everything! … Only in heaven will he fully realize what he is.” -St. John Vianney

Pray for your priests!

Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez’s new movie The Way, features the story of one man’s journey of life and faith after losing his son on the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) in France.  This movie hasbroughtCatholicism to the “big screen” with its lead character, an inactive Catholic man, Tom, played by Sheen, who is facing the untimely death of his son.  The movie has also generated discussion of the importance of understanding the Church’s teaching on cremation.

Visit the CatholicsComeHome.org page about “death” that explains the Church’s teaching on cremation, and provides more information about The Way.

Get a copy of Patrick Madrid and Kenneth Hensley’s The Godless Delusion: A Catholic Challenge to Modern Atheism.

Learn how to to use philosophical tools to demonstrate that atheism cannot stand up to logical scrutiny. This book is a must-have for Catholics serious about challenging atheism in our modern culture.

Definitely CCH-recommended!