The Epiphany - The Revelation of God to the pagan world. The death knell of the pagan world.

We Three Kings by Maya Solovéy is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

All families are called to holiness. The music provided by the St. Mark choir pursuant to license from One License # A-726294 .

The ‘sacramentum militaie’ (military sacrament) was used with recruits into the Roman army who swore an oath of allegiance and received a mark (such as a tattoo or a brand) and a new name. The Roman Legions had their sacramentum, and the Church had its sacramentum. Christianity so dominated the Roman Empire that we no longer think of the military and legal meanings of sacrament for Romans. The Christians understood whose kingdom they lived in and whose kingdom they were passing through.

Music recorded by St. Mark Choir pursuant to One License

John the Evangelist, writing some years later, simply referred to John the Baptist as

“A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to testify to the light.” Jn. 1:6-8 The Greek word ‘martyrios’ means ‘witness.’ John the Baptist gave his life as a witness, a martyr and so others have followed as victims of violence and witnesses to the light.

Music by Marisa Troppy and Russ Ronnebaum pursuant to One License #A-726294

He calls us to convert or minds and trust in him. Mind and heart given to God. That is the pathway. Sin casts a long shadow, grace illuminates even the shade.

Music by St. Mark choir under One License A-726294

When Jesus told us to ‘watch’ he expected that his disciples would be about the Father’s business. He called them to prayer, not drowsiness. Naps are nice, but we were not created for naps but for the works of mercy. Pray for those most in need, empty your closet as an act of fraternal charity. Be attentive, be watchful, the Lord will return when each of us least expects it.

Music performed by Marisa Troppy and Russ Ronnebaum pursuant to One License A-726294

St. Augustine said that in heaven, in the true City of God, “There we shall be still and see, see and love, love and praise. Behold what will be in the end without end! For what else is our end but to reach the kingdom that has no end?” Christian, remember, the City of God exists in this world in you, but is not of this world. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

Music performed by Marisa Troppy and Russ Ronnebaum pursuant to One License A-726294

Abusers aren’t going to disappear as the result of the Dallas Charter and Vos estis lux mundi. But hopefully the silence that creates this weird clerical culture will. Breaking the silence isn’t everything, but nothing else can happen until we do that.

Music by Gina McCann and Russ Ronnebaum pursuant to license by One License, #A-726294

The ancient world is a different place and a different time. The ancient Christian understanding of virginity is in sharp contrast to the modern take. Virginity in our Catholic tradition is a complete self-giving for the sake of the kingdom.

Marisa Troppy and Russ Ronnebaum pursuant to permission from OneLicense A-726294

Halloween, All Saints and All Souls day is this human reality bundled altogether around the Resurrection. So come, eat his flesh and drink his blood and join his Army of the Dead! Well, actually they are more alive than ever.