“ ’Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’ “ (Matthew 1:23)  We hear these words in the Gospel account today of St. Joseph being visited in his sleep by the angel.  The child in Mary’s womb is the one about whom Isaiah prophesied, the one whom the people of Israel had longed for for centuries.  Now, He is finally coming!

But even before His birth in Bethlehem in Christmas, Emmanuel, God-with-us, the long-awaited Messiah was with Mary and Joseph in an intimate way.  For Mary, the conception of Jesus in her womb meant that God was with her in a way as He grew in her very womb.  Because of his proximity to Mary, Joseph would have also had a unique experience of God already being with him.  Though not visible yet, He was truly present, just as any child is in the womb of their mothers.  From the first moment of conception, human life is there, a fact I have no doubt Mary and Joseph appreciated.

Perhaps I have shared this image with you in a homily or some other way in the past couple of years, but in these final days of Advent, I like to picture Mary and Joseph as they journey together toward Bethlehem.  The journey by foot from Nazareth to Bethlehem likely took a few days.  I can picture them settling in for the night after a long day’s journey.  Since they are not at home, Jospeh is likely very attentive to their surroundings, possibly even keeping watch while his pregnant wife sleeps.  Just imagine Joseph, watching Mary as she slept, seeing her, but also knowing that Emmanuel was there with them, hidden in her womb.  You could say that Joseph was probably one of the first in the history of the Church to pray in adoration in the presence of Jesus Christ – body, blood, soul, and divinity, in form slightly different from the Eucharist, of course, but in the same reality of His being truly and really present.  What peace there must have been in his heart as he looked lovingly on his wife with his physical eyes, and as he looked lovingly on His Savior with his eyes of faith.

In this final week of Advent, I invite you to pray with this image of Joseph gazing upon Mary, and adoring Jesus even though He cannot yet see Him face to face.  And what better place to do this than in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, when exposed for Eucharistic Adoration, or when He rests in the tabernacle.  We look upon Him, not yet being able to see Him face to face, but believing that He is truly present.  Only when we get to Heaven will we have the privilege of seeing Him in His glory, but until that time, seeing Him as He remains hidden behind the form of bread and wine (but truly present) in the Eucharist, and then receiving Him in Holy Communion, that is enough for us.  For He is Emmanuel, God with us!  Let us rejoice in this beautiful gift, and may His presence among as we approach Christmas grant us that same peace that Mary and Joseph knew as they prepared for His birth.

Father Alford     

The readings that we as Catholics use at Mass are not chosen by the priest or members of our parishes. Instead, the Roman Catholic Church around the world has a standard set of scripture readings which the Church has compiled in a set of lectionaries, or books of readings. There are two different sets of “cycles,” as they are called. The first cycle is read on Sundays and is repeated every three years. A different set of readings is read on weekdays and is repeated every two years. This means that after attending Sunday Mass for only three years, a Catholic will have heard large portions of the Gospels, Old Testament texts, and New Testament texts.

At the Second Vatican Council, one of the desires of the gathered bishops was to make scripture more accessible to Catholics around the world. A primary way to accomplish this was by greatly expanding the variety of readings at Mass and reworking the lectionary. In fact, it is widely recognized that the Catholic lectionary is a work of great genius, and several other Christian denominations also use the Catholic lectionary, such as some Lutherans. (There are exceptions to this, such as some books that are not considered canonical). The readings during seasons like Advent and Lent help us to open our hearts more widely to the spirit of the season that the liturgy is trying to convey to us. 

There are some exceptions to the rule that every church has the same readings around the world. When a saint’s feast day is celebrated on a weekday, it is optional to use readings specific to that saint. Generally, priests choose to use the daily readings to maintain the coherence of the scriptural text over several days. However, it is permitted to use the optional readings at the preacher’s discretion. Another exception to the rule of universal readings will be found in Eastern Catholic Churches. This could be the topic for another article, but the Catholic Church is not a homogenous entity, but rather a unity of many Churches. We are members of the Latin Catholic Church, but there is also the Eastern branch of the Church, made up of around 23 other Catholic Churches. They are also Catholic but not part of the Latin tradition. Many of these churches would have their own lectionary cycles because they are part of a different liturgical tradition than the Latin Church. These are different than and not to be confused with Orthodox Churches. 

There are few Eastern Catholic Churches in our part of the world. In fact, I am only aware of one Eastern Catholic parish in our diocese, and it may be closed by now. However, in Eastern Europe and Asia there are many Eastern Catholic Churches. If you are travelling abroad or even elsewhere in the country, you are free to attend an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy (Mass). The readings may be different, and the liturgical tradition will be different, but it is still the same Mass. Just make sure that you see the word “Catholic” somewhere in the name of the parish! We are blessed to be part of a Universal Church – a Church which has expanded not only across the world, but also across time for two thousand years. Our Faith is truly a gift from God, and it is a blessing to have the Mass available to us wherever we go around the world! 

Feast Day: December 25^th | Titles: Virgin, Martyr, Deliverer from Potions [“Pharmakolytria” (consider “pharmacy”, “pharmaceuticals”)] | Patronage: Martyrs, Weavers, Widows, Those Suffering from Poison | Attributes: Palm Branch, Martyrs-Cross, Medicine Pot

There are about a dozen saints and blesseds whose feast day is on December 25^th, most because they died on that day, whether from natural causes or because they were martyred. The woman who we get to know today was one of those given the martyrs crown, and though after Vatican II she has not retained a Mass of her own on December 25^th (the various Masses of Christmas are the only ones a priest can celebrate on the 25^th) she is still mentioned in the Roman Canon for which reason we consider her life today.

She comes at the end of the list of saintly women named during the prayer called the “Nobis Quoque”. This Latin phrase refers to the prayer that the priest says after praying for the deceased, he strikes his breast saying “To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs:”, going on to list John the Baptist and many other martyrs venerated early on in Rome. Here’s the amazing thing, if you look through that list, you find characters from all over the early Christian world, men and women, some of them martyrs, some of them apostles, some miracle-workers, some great teachers of the faith. Even just looking at the women, you have two from Africa (Felicity and Perpetua), two from Sicily (Agatha and Lucy), two from Rome (Agnes and Cecilia), and Anastasia, whose father may have been Roman, but who lived and died in Sirmium, now in Serbia.

I offer instead of my own biography, excerpts from a Akathist given in veneration of St. Anastasia. An Akathist is a chanted hymn-homilies with interspersed litanies, to a particular biblical character or saint. They originated in the Byzantine side of the Roman Empire in the 500s, and so seem a fitting way to recall our saint from Sirmium.

Kontakion 1: To the chosen saint of Christ, the all-blessed Great Martyr Anastasia, we bring praiseworthy singing, as she who has much boldness to the Lord, deliver from all troubles, sorrows and illnesses, the faithful who cry out freely with love: Alleluia.

Ikos 1: You have become like an angel with a pure mind, having had your mind upon Him, Who is the Creator of all visible and invisible creation, eternal from the beginning and the One desired by all the righteous; we, praising your wise teaching from the holy martyr Chrysogonus, cry out with love:
Rejoice, you who loved the faith of Christ; Rejoice, you who followed the piety of your mother Fausta. Rejoice, you who preserved the purity of your virginity; Rejoice, you who were always guarded invisibly by the angels. Rejoice, for you have drawn near to God by your purity; Rejoice, all-blessed Great Martyr Anastasia, holy visitor and intercessor for our souls in prison.

Kontakion 2: Saint Anastasia, beholding the many Christians suffering in dungeons for the name and teachings of Jesus Christ, began to serve them with zeal, but was helped by God to comfort and heal them, singing with reverence: Alleluia.

Ikos 2: O godly-wise Anastasia, you reasoned that this whole world is passing vanity and corruption, and for this, you despised precious clothing and possessions, and secretly clothed beggars, entering the dungeons to serve as a confessor of Christ; we follow her in our minds, and we appeal to her with love: Rejoice, imitator of Christ; Rejoice, visitor of prisoners in the dungeon; Rejoice, consoler of the confessors of Christ; Rejoice, you who have spent your gold and silver on them; Rejoice, by them who have acquired the Kingdom of Heaven; Rejoice, you who washed the hands and feet of the saints and cleaned their hair. Rejoice, you who healed their ills and honestly buried their bodies; Rejoice, all-blessed Great Martyr Anastasia, holy visitor and intercessor for our souls in prison.

Kontakion 3: Strengthened by power from above, holy martyr, you blessedly served the saints, and shamed the hater of every virtue the devil, enduring enslavement from your impious husband; we, praising your goodness, Anastasia, sing along with you: Alleluia.

Ikos 3: Have great love in the Lord for all who suffer for the Name of Christ in dungeons; we, marveling at her courage, crying to her: Rejoice, chosen bride of Christ; Rejoice, diligent keeper of the commandments of Christ; Rejoice, for you have fulfilled this not in words alone, but in deeds; Rejoice, you who were ready to lay down your life for your friends; Rejoice, for you have received much bitterness for Christ; Rejoice, for you have become like a strong diamond through your patience. Rejoice, all-blessed Great Martyr Anastasia, holy visitor and intercessor for our souls in prison.

– Fr. Dominic Rankin notes that this hymn continues to Kontakion 13 (!), and the whole thing would then be repeated three times (!!). We would need a longer bulletin to print it all, and probably a longer attention span if I were to sing it for my homily… Perhaps the lesson Anastasia teaches us this week is of generosity, not only to our fellow Christians, and not only in risking of our earthly life for Christ, but also, simply, to Our Lord in the time we dedicate to prayer, and to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

“Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord” We heard these words two weeks ago on the First Sunday of Advent.  Since then, this response used for the Responsorial Psalm has been coming up over and over in my mind and heart, and when a passage sticks around like that, it is good to pay attention to it.

On the one hand, from the historical context, these words express the joy of the Jewish people as they journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem, the place where God dwelt.  To be in that place was a source of great joy, the anticipation of which would serve to motivate pilgrims on the often-difficult journey to arrive at that destination.  On the other hand, this response also indicates the joy we have as pilgrims on the way to House of the Lord, which is of our final home in Heaven.  When on a journey, the thought of home brings us joy, and it serves as a motivator to keep moving forward, knowing of the peace that we will find when we finally rest at home.  

A third and more immediate way of understanding these words is the joy that we should have as Catholics to come to the House of the Lord which is our church.  For each Catholic church or chapel is the New Temple of God, more important because God dwells there, truly and substantially in the Eucharist, Jesus’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  How much more joy should there be in our hearts when we have the privilege of coming to church?

Perhaps this can be a good point of examination for us on this Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday in which we are instructed, rather commanded to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4) for He is near.  Not just is He near in the coming celebration of Christmas in two weeks, but He is near to us in each tabernacle, inviting us to come to Him and to be in His presence.  When we are getting ready for Mass each Sunday, is there a joyful anticipation in our hearts that we are going to see our King?  As we drive to church, is there joy in our hearts?  Or, do we find that we have a sense of reluctance and resignation about having to go to Mass?  While at Mass, are we thinking about other things we want to do, other places we would rather be, as opposed to rejoicing in being in the House of the Lord?

In these final two weeks before Christmas, let us spend some time reflecting on the joy (or lack thereof) we should have when coming to and being in the House of the Lord.  Doing so will prepare us to really look forward to coming to Mass on Christmas, seeing it not just as something to get done, but truly as the highlight to which we look forward, joyful that we will get to meet the newborn King and receive His life in the greatest gift possible, the Eucharist.

I would also like to issue a little Advent challenge, if you are willing to accept it!  Since our culture pushes to celebrate Christmas before December 25, we as Catholics have to work hard to maintain a sense of peace and eager expectation for the coming of the Lord.  In the midst of all of the noise, we need silence.  Why not come to the House of the Lord, our church, to find that silence, to be with Christ Himself, who is “the reason for the season.”  Make an effort to make a visit to Jesus in the tabernacle a few times before Christmas apart from coming to Mass.  As we come to Him and make time for Him, even if for just a few minutes, He will give us the gift of His peace and an increase of joy in His love for us, a joy that will prepare our hearts to receive Him not only when we celebrate Christmas, but each time we come to the House of the Lord.

Father Alford     

If you have attended Mass at the Cathedral regularly, or at most parishes in our diocese, you may have noticed that some women wear a veil from the moment they walk in the door of the church until they leave. You might have wondered what this is all about, or thought that Vatican II did away with women veiling during Mass. I have heard some stories from older parishioners of the nuns who made every girl wear a head covering as they attended Mass at their Catholic school – even if that meant a tissue or napkin out of their purse! I am sure that this was not a pleasant experience for some young ladies who did not understand what wearing a veil was all about. 

There is evidence for women wearing veils during prayer in the bible. St. Paul wrote, “A man, on the other hand, should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man … For this reason, a woman should have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels” (1 Corinthians 11:7-10). Of course, it is true that women are also the image and glory of God, and St. Paul wrote more about this issue than in the few verses I quoted. Essentially, Paul is referring to an analogy that permeates the scriptures to describe God’s relationship with his people: the relationship of a marriage. Earlier in this passage, St. Paul wrote, “The head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). 

Christ is the head of the Church, and Christ is the spouse of the Church. A husband and wife stand in place of Christ and his Church as a sign – a Sacrament – of God’s relationship to the Church. So, when he instructs a woman to wear a veil, he is asking her to stand as a symbol of the Church as the bride of Christ. Admittedly, this symbolism may seem like a bit of a stretch for our modern parishioners, as Paul is also mixing in certain cultural elements which no longer apply today. As it stands now, the Church does not require women to cover their heads in Church, although many women, especially in non-Western cultures, still choose to do so. 

Earlier, St. Paul said that a woman should cover her head “because of the angels.” What does this mean? According to one author I read (Peter Kwasniewski), this is a reference to Isaiah when he had a vision of heaven. Here is the passage: “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:2). The angels who stand in the presence of God veil themselves using two wings as a sign of reverence, awe, and respect for the God of Israel. In this way, it is a symbol of submission and obedience to God. In this way, the veil is meant to be an exterior expression of an interior disposition of obedience and submission to God. 

I have heard a similar explanation during my years in the seminary, and it’s helpful to understand in the context of our Catholic liturgy. In the Mass, we typically veil certain objects and locations to show reverence and honor to sacred places and things. Many churches have a veil over the tabernacle, which holds the Body of our Lord, as a way to show respect to his Real Presence. In the Cathedral, you can’t see the veil unless the doors are propped open, but our tabernacle has a veil hanging inside between the door and the Eucharist. Traditionally, the chalice at Mass has been veiled before it is used at Mass. In wedding Masses, most brides choose to wear some sort of veil to cover their head, which symbolizes purity and reverence for her husband. In the temple of Israel, the Holy of Holies was covered by a veil which hung from floor to ceiling. 

Most women who wear veils today wear some sort of lace mantilla, but the same idea applies to any kind of hat or scarf which can be used to cover one’s head. I have heard a few stories of young ladies being reprimanded by older women for wearing a head covering in church, thinking that it is a symbol of repression. This is a misunderstanding of the tradition of covering one’s head. In some cultures, it is certainly true that men force women to wear a veil because they see them as lesser members of society. This is not the case in Christian cultures. Mary is almost always depicted wearing some sort of veil, which symbolizes both her great dignity and great humility as the Mother of God. 

An organization called “Veils by Lily” is a great resource for more information about veiling at Mass, along with a good variety of veils for purchase. I used this website in writing this article. Ladies veiling their head during Mass is a pious custom which many find to be a good way to show their love for Jesus. This practice is a beautiful tradition in which the Church still sees great value, but does not currently require at Mass. 

Feast Day: December 6th | Bishop, Wonderworker | Patronage: Children, Sailors, Merchants, Broadcasters, Repentant Thieves, Brewers, Pharmacists, Unmarried | Attributes: Vested as a Bishop, Holding Gospel-Book, Three Gold Coins/Balls; Blessing with Right Hand.

There is an amazing tale told of St. Nicholas, who, being bishop of Myra (in southwest Turkey, a port-city visited by St. Paul 300 years before), attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., and at one particularly strident moment stood before Arius, the priest from Alexandria, who argued that Christ was not fully divine, unequal to God the Father, not eternally begotten, but the first and highest of the Father’s Creation. Nicholas, it is said, stood before the heretic and slapped him in the face. Or maybe punched him. Or maybe it had been that Nicholas knocked Arius to the floor and was stripped of his episcopal regalia and imprisoned by the other bishops for such an unseemly outburst during a Church council. But then, the following morning, he was found in his cell not only wearing his vestments again (in particular, art often depicts him wearing the omophorion, an ancient precursor to the pallium that archbishops now receive) but also carrying the book of the Gospels. It is said that Mary appeared to him restoring his vestments, with Our Lord Himself placing in Nicholas’ trustworthy hands the Holy Gospels. The other bishops were admonished, Nicholas was exonerated, and Arius condemned as a heretic.

Now, this particular story was not written down until a thousand years after the Council of Nicaea, and different lists that date back closer to the time of that council differ on whether Nicholas is included among the bishops in attendance. Of course, since he lived until 345 A.D., Nicholas would have lived during the tumultuous years before and after that great convocation of bishops.  Also, with Athanasius (himself quite the strident defender of the faith) and others considered the leaders of the council, perhaps it is not surprising, especially given the lack (and costliness) of documents at that time, that there would be disagreement between the few, and fragmentary, documentation we do have. (This is true not only of Church documents, but also in the Roman Empire at large. Our records of those years are spotty.)

But perhaps we can uphold the core of this tradition without ever tracking down a parchment that recounts Arius getting knocked flat by a righteously angered Bp. Nicholas. Nicholas’ parents died while he was a priest, or early in his episcopal care, for the people of Myra. Already known for his holiness and generosity, he turned to the Scriptures to find what the Lord was calling him to do with the large inheritance he received from his parents. Hearing “give to the poor and come follow me”, he began his famous incognito visits, distributing funds and food to those who needed them under cover of darkness. This was how he saved the three sisters from prostitution – tossing bags of gold through their window in the middle of the night. Not only does this kind of charity fit with a Church known across the ancient world for its defense of the dignity of women, but it is also told of no other character in antiquity. It stands out among many other stories of the heroism of saints, and so must link back to the actual heroic generosity of Good St. Nicholas. Other legends with similar distinctiveness speak of Nicholas’ being imprisoned before the legalization of Christianity under Constantine, and also providing for the city during famines whether by miracles or plain, audacious, leadership.

One thing is irrefutable. Nicholas was loved and heralded as a saint very soon after his death. Within a century or two pilgrimages were taking place to his tomb, and other priests were taking his name as their own, choosing him as their patron. If I may link a few things together, though we have no writing of St. Nicholas himself, it is eminently logical that as daring, sacrificial, and Christ-like a bishop as Nicholas, would have spoken and acted much like his more famous confrere, Athanasius. Defending the divinity and humanity of Christ, Whom He emulated with a boldness that has not dimmed through the long centuries since.

– Fr. Dominic Rankin cannot help but notice that Nicholas’ risking his own life, his livelihood, even his episcopacy, is itself only an emulation of Christ, Who not only risked, but truly gave away his own life, livelihood, and all earthly esteem in order to give His followers eternal life. When I receive Christ’s Body and Blood am I similarly disposed to risk my own body and blood to love in that same way?