Deacon Greg Kandra provides a reflection for the readings and Gospel for the 4th Sunday of Advent, Dec. 21, 2025.

(RNS) — The Scripture readings during Advent are a mix of comfort and challenge. On the one hand, the readings from Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40-56) offer us comfort. The author was speaking to Jewish ...

St. Jude Church hosts a Festival of Lessons & Carols on Dec. 21, inviting all to reflect on Advent through Scripture and song in Chalfont.

“How do we really enter into a season like Advent when the world around us is already celebrating Christmas?” This is the question host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., sets before his guests, Scripture ...

Today we begin the important Season of Advent. It is the time from the fourth Sunday before Christmas to December 24. Advent means “coming.” The deepening darkness of the season can remind us that one ...

Although Advent calendars have become hot-ticket items, they still reflect their ancient Christian meaning, writes Matthew Robert Anderson.

I once heard the comment that a real connoisseur of classical music is someone who can listen to Rossini's William Tell Overture and not think of the Lone Ranger. In a similar vein, a real student of ...

Wow! Did you ever feel like that was happening? Maybe you didn't think you would die, but did you ever feel paralyzed, unable to reply or think of a way to deal with something? Then there's the ...

There is more to the Advent calendar we see in shops. Why not embrace meaningful traditions, light candles weekly, reflect on scripture, offer prayers, and perform small acts of kindness to honour the ...

For many people who observe Christian traditions, Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year and serves as a period of anticipation and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus ...