As we listen to these readings for the first Sunday of Advent, we may be perplexed by what we hear. First, Paul’s letter to the Romans urges his listeners to put away what is dark and cultivate the ...

Waiting is rarely easy for anyone, but it can be especially difficult for children. Watching the clock until recess, waiting in line at lunch, or taking turns with a favorite toy can stretch even the ...

Pope John Paul II met with 8,000 pilgrims during his general audience Dec. 18 — exactly one week before Christmas. Those who were present spontaneously sang traditional Christmas carols from their ...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Or, really, it’s been looking like Christmas in many stores since September. Houses are decorated. Some churches have been holding special Christmas ...

I made my first Communion when I was 8. I had waited long for it, was dressed up in a dress, veil and shoes, all of them white. I was ready for the big moment. Then, Msgr. Higgins gave the homily. He ...

Waiting for a letter. Waiting for laughter. Waiting for love. Waiting for a phone call. Waiting for a pain pause. Waiting for peace. Waiting for good news. Waiting for good health. Waiting for good ...

Before Advent is a word, it is a sigh. A voice crying. A mood. And never more deeply felt than in these troubled months. Advent marks both the exhaustion and the hope of God’s people, when the meaning ...