The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, & Joseph
As we listened to Saint Matthew’s Gospel, we are told that Joseph … warned by an angel in a dream … takes Mary and Jesus down to Egypt until Herod’s death. We can imagine that they lived as migrants there for a year or two. And so, consider this. Were they able to travel safely? How were they received once they arrived? Were they welcomed or looked upon with suspicion? Was there gainful employment for Joseph? Did he meet with resentment for taking work away from Egyptian carp
3 days ago5 min read
Christmas ... Mass at Dawn
If you take the time to stop and really think about it, I think you’d come to the conclusion that we Americans spend a good part of December celebrating Christmas. Even though the days of Advent should dominate the Church calendar in December, for many of us, Christmas celebrations may have begun a week or two ago … perhaps even earlier … with holiday parties at work or in school. Radio stations have played Christmas music for a month already. All of the Christmas television
6 days ago5 min read
Vigil of Christmas
Tonight, as my Christmas homily, I’d like to give a brief history of a song you might know. And if you are a fan of Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster and saw that back in 2022, they released their first movie, you may know the Christmas carol to which I refer. I had the opportunity to see the movie in the theater when it first came out and since it has become part of my cherished Christmas movie collection. I watched it again last weekend. It gave me some insight into what
Dec 246 min read
Fourth Sunday of Advent
In October of 1986, my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. That year the Polansky house was filled with celebrations. I graduated from college and I was the first among my Dad’s nieces and nephews to accomplish that goal. My brother, Ed, graduated from high school, another Bishop Eustace grad, and was headed to Rider College ... now Rider University. And my little sister, Kathy, graduated from eighth grade and was about to make her own mark on Bishop Eustace.
Dec 215 min read
Gaudete Sunday - 3rd Sunday of Advent
Deep in the dungeon, disillusioned by the tragic turn of his life, John the Baptist ponders God’s strange providence. John is convinced that he received his message from God and he’s sure that he got it right: Prepare the Way of the Lord ... Prepare the way for the Messiah. But when the Messiah came, He did not act the way John had presumed and predicted. Was the message or the messenger wrong? John needs to know. He deserves to know.
Dec 143 min read
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1854 Pius IX made the infallible statement: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” In today’s readings, we focus on the lives of two women and see how their choices have impac
Dec 84 min read
Second Sunday of Advent
Mackinac, Golden Gate, and Ambassador. Recognize these names? How about Walt Whitman, Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry, and Tacony Palmyra? How about them? They are all bridges. And many of us, we are attracted both to their architecture: whether they are covered or suspension … draw or multi-level … and we are drawn to their purpose ... to link two states, to span a river, or to reduce driving time to get from one place to another.
Dec 74 min read
