This week we have an awesome TWO title giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Church Is Our Mother: Seven Ways She Inspires Us to Love by Gina Loehr, sponsored by Franciscan Media (you can read Michele’s review here) and one copy of Icons: The Essential Collection by Sr. Faith Riccio, sponsored by Paraclete Press (you can read my review here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me. The contest begins now and ends next... Read more
Although as God he was without beginning, says St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker, Christ’s life on earth began the way every child’s life begins. The God whom Cherubim praise was a child who shared our misery so he could lift us out of it. Turn, congregations, and come—let us all praise him who is born of the Virgin. Praise him because, although he was the glory and image of the Divinity before the ages, he still came to suffer poverty along... Read more
Some of the most beautiful pieces of art are not meant to be art at all. Icons are created by professional iconographers to tell a story without words. They either focus on a person or saint or they portray an event about the faith. They also serve as wonderful sources for prayer. Recently Sister Faith Riccio compiled a book titled Icons: The Essential Collection. This book is a perfect prayer companion and small enough to carry to a chapel or... Read more
St. John Chrysostom answers an obvious question: why didn’t the angel tell Joseph about the coming birth of Jesus at the same time he told Mary? In his explanation, he points out the value of discretion, not just truth, in choosing what we say and when we say it. It’s worth asking why the angel didn’t speak sooner, before the husband had such thoughts, but came when he thought about it, and not until then—for it is said, “as he considered this,”... Read more
Review by Michele Craig “A mother journeys with her children all the way through their lives. She does not abandon her maternal mission when they are grown, though that mission certainly takes on different characteristics. The Church, too, accompanies us every step of the way. While baptism gives us birth into the Church, the other sacraments in their own way also nurture our souls as needed.” Gina Loehr continues by explaining how our Mother, the Church, “mothers” us through all... Read more
If we imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, says St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, then we, too, will be included in that angelic salutation, “Hail, O favored one!” With what spiritual song or word shall we honor her who is most glorious among the angels? She is planted in the house of God like a fruitful olive that the Holy Spirit overshadowed; and by means of her we are called sons and heirs of the kingdom of Christ. She is... Read more
We find it easy to imagine how amazed Mary was by the Annunciation. But what was Gabriel thinking? St. Gregory, known as the Wonder-Worker, imag– ines Gabriel’s perplexity when he’s given his assignment. The mystery of the Incarnation is as baffling to archangels as it is to humans (1 Peter 1:12). “Speak in the ears of my rational Ark” (God said to Gabriel), “to prepare a way for me in her hearing. But do not disturb or trouble the soul of the... Read more
St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker invites us to join our voices to the angel Gabriel’s. When we look at what graces were given to Mary, we can only say along with Gabriel, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” David and Isaiah and all the prophets foretold the Lord’s becoming man in all their preaching. But you, Holy Virgin—you alone shall receive the mystery unknown by them. Learn, and do not wonder how this can happen to you. For he... Read more
The Annunciation, says St. Irenaeus, is more than good news. In her obedience to the word from a good angel, Mary undoes the effects of Eve’s disobedience at the persuasion of a wicked angel. Eve was betrothed to a man, and was unhappily deceived. The Virgin Mary was betrothed to a man as well. The truth happily declared to her by the angel shows that the Lord was coming to what belonged to him, and sustaining them by means of that creation... Read more
Mary, the Blessed Virgin, had a privilege no one else in history has ever had, says St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker: she saw the archangel Gabriel in all his glory. Most of the holy fathers, and the patriarchs, and the prophets desired to see Christ and to be eyewitnesses of him. But they did not reach that goal. In visions, some of them saw him figuratively and dimly. Others had the privilege of hearing the divine voice through the cloud, and were... Read more
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