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WM39 – Living the Reality of the Christmas Season – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 39 – Living the Reality of the Christmas Season – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss living the joys and challenges of the Christmas Season authentically.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Christmas mystery

525 Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family.²⁰² Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest.²⁰³ The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night:

The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal
And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.
The angels and shepherds praise him
And the magi advance with the star,
For you are born for us, Little Child, God eternal!²⁰⁴

526 To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom.²⁰⁵ For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become “children of God” we must be “born from above” or “born of God”.²⁰⁶ Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us.²⁰⁷ Christmas is the mystery of this “marvellous exchange”:

O marvellous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.²⁰⁸

Notes:

202 Cf. Lk 2:61.203 Cf. Lk 2:8-20.

204 Kontakion of Romanos the Melodist.

205 Cf. Mt 18:3-4.

206 Jn 3:7; 1:13; 1:12; cf. Mt 23:12.

207 Cf. Gal 4:19.

208 LH, Antiphon I of Evening Prayer for January 1st.

For more episodes in this series, visit the

Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

WM38 – Preparing for the Coming of Christ – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 38 – Preparing for the Coming of Christ – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the events leading up to the celebration of Christmas and how the coming of Christ experienced in our lives today.

Gospel

Lk 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

For more episodes in this series, visit the

Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

WM37 – Giving Witness to Christ – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 37 – Giving Witness to Christ – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the heart of Kerygma as Peter addresses the Jews gathered in Jerusalem, reminding them that the events they have just experienced were foretold by the prophet Joel (Acts 2: 14-21), and proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Messiah (Acts 2: 22-36)

Some of the takeaways for us is that there is no replacement for authentic first-hand witnesses. As Christ’s witnesses, we are encouraged to:

Cultivate an intimate communion with Jesus by regular Confession and worthy reception of the Eucharist at Mass;
Invest the time for study, Scripture reading, and prayer to come to know Jesus Christ and form a personal relationship with him;
Stay united to, and pray for the Church and for all those whom Jesus may send you for your witness;
Take courage from Jesus’ words to the Apostles before sending them out, even in times of persecution, “do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” (Mt 10:19)

For more episodes in this series, visit the

Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast page

For more teachings and information about Archbishop George J. Lucas of the Archdiocese of Omaha, visit: archomaha.org

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 9 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Nine
Mother of our Savior, the conversion of your Aztec children brought an end to infant sacrifice in Mexico. Holy Mary, we implore your help to end the infant sacrifice by abortion throughout the Americas.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 8 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Eight
Mary, Mother of the Church, your apparitions at Tepeyac and the miraculous image you left fostered unity between Catholic conquerors and clergy and the millions of Aztec converts. Bring unity, Mother, to the various factions within the Church and the wider public so that all may work to establish a culture of life.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 7 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Seven
Mystical Rose, your miraculous signs of Castilian roses in winter and your image on the tilma of Juan Diego led to the conversion of eight million Aztec people to Catholicism in just seven years. Mary, Mother of the Americas, intercede again for your children in the Americas, and convert the hearts of all who deny the sanctity of every human life.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 6 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Six
Holy Mary, comfort of the troubled, you sought out Juan Diego when in fear and confusion he took a different route to avoid encountering you. Then you restored his hope and confidence so he could carry out the task you had entrusted to him. Many people today face decisions of life and death filled with fear and confusion. Mother, we ask you to restore their trust and hope in God so that their actions will always affirm the sanctity of human life.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 5 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Five
Virgin gentle in mercy, in Juan Diego’s anxiety, to bring a priest to his dying uncle he failed to keep his appointment with you. Yet, you rewarded his filial love by restoring his uncle to health. Your compassion allowed Juan Diego to fulfill the mission you gave him, returning to the bishop with the proof the bishop sought. Teach us, Mother, to put God’s holy will ahead of all created things, including our loved ones, and help remove the obstacles that prevent us from following God’s will.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe Day 4 – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Please visit the Discerning Hearts Our Lady of Guadalupe page for the text and audio for the remaining days.

Day Four

Virgin most wise, you chose a humble farmer to announce your motherly concern to the people of Mexico. Although Juan Diego felt unequal to the mission you gave him, you encouraged him to persevere. Faced with powerful anti-life forces today, we also feel unequal to the mission God has given us of building a culture of life and a civilization of love. Help us to persevere always in this great campaign for life, assured of your help and prayers. Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory be …

WM36 – The Second Sunday of Advent and the Kerygma – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas Podcast

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Episode 36 – Second Sunday of Advent and the Kerygma – Why it Matters: An Exploration of Faith with Archbishop George Lucas

Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the season of Advent and its particular nature in relation to the Kerygma (the pronouncement of the Good News). In this episode, they discuss the gospel reading found in the First Sunday of Advent.

Gospel

Mt 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

For more episodes in this series, visit the