Dec

25

Patriarch: Holy-Land Christians Should Stay Put

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Says They Have Vocation to Be Where Jesus Lived
The patriarch of Jerusalem says Christians in the Holy Land have a vocation to live in the land of Jesus, and not elsewhere in the world.Archbishop Michel Sabbah affirmed this at Christmas Midnight Mass, telling Christians pressured to leave the Middle East to “listen to the voice […]

Dec

25

Christmas Requires Humility of Us, Says Pope

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Today a great light and hope entered the world, but humility is needed in order to see and accept it, said Benedict XVI in his traditional Christmas message.The Pope affirmed this today from the central balcony at St. Peter’s. He gave a Christmas greeting in 63 languages then gave his blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the […]

Dec

25

Jerusalem Patriarch’s Midnight Mass Homily

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Here is the text of the Christmas Midnight Mass homily of Archbishop Michel Sabbah, patriarch of Jerusalem. The translation was provided by the patriarchate.* * *
Christmas Homily 2007
Brothers and Sisters,
I wish you all a Blessed Christmas.
Mr. President,
1. This holy night, we pray for you, for your difficult task, for the security and unity of the […]

Dec

25

Benedict XVI’s Christmas Message

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Here is a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI’s Christmas message, which he delivered from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica today at noon.* * *
“A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come you nations and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.”
(Day Mass of Christmas, Gospel Acclamation)
Dear Brothers and Sisters! “A […]

Dec

25

The Weight of a Snowflake

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a coalmouse asked a wild dove.
“Nothing more than nothing,” the dove answered.
“In that case I must tell you a marvelous story,” the coalmouse said. “I sat on a fir branch close to the trunk when it began to snow. Not heavily, not in a raging blizzard. […]

Dec

25

Ave Maria

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The lyrics to Ave Maria:
Latin:
Ave Maria gratia plena,
Maria gratia plena,
Maria gratia plena.
Ave, ave Dominus.
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus.
Et benedictus.
Et benedictus fructus ventris,
Ventris tui Iesus.
Ave Maria.Ave Maria Mater Dei.
Ora pro nobis pecatoribus.
Ora ora pro nobis.
Ora ora pro nobis peccatoribus.
Nunc et in hora mortis.
In hora mortis nostrae.
In hora mortis mortis nostrae.
In hora mortis nostrae.
Ave Maria.
English:
Hail, Mary, full […]

Dec

25

Christmas, The Birthday of Jesus

December 25, 2007 | 1 Comment

The time had come for the Son of God to become man for love of us. His mother Mary and St. Joseph had to leave their home in Nazareth and go to Bethlehem. The reason for this journey was the Roman emperor’s request to count the number of his subjects. So every Jewish family had […]

Dec

25

St. John Chrysostom’s “Homily on Christmas Morning”

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole
chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended,
the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death
is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is
removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, […]

Dec

25

Benedict XVI’s Midnight Mass Homily

December 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Here is a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI’s homily today at Christmas Midnight Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.* * *
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
“The time came for Mary to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room […]

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