Waiting.  Expecting.  Calmly expecting.  Expecting nothing else but to be with God.  Just being available for Him. For almost two months, I have been focusing on what this is like as I reflected on Christ’s coming this Christmas.  This mode of silent, almost “passive active-ness” was inspired by a visit from a friend. Three weeks ...read more

Pope Benedict delivered his Urbi et Orbi — to the City (of Rome) and to the World — today at noon, Rome time.  The traditional message and blessing is given Christmas and Easter.  The theme of the message is The Word became flesh, and throughout his greeting the Holy Father stressed that God is with ...read more

The coming of the Lord can have no objective other than to teach us to see and love events, the world, and everything that surrounds us with the very eyes of God. The Word-become-a-child helps us to understand God’s way of acting, so that we will be capable of allowing ourselves to be transformed increasingly ...read more

Pope Benedict has celebrated Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican.  You can see an encore presentation on Salt + Light at 11pm ET /8pm PT.  See the unofficial translation of the Holy Father’s homily below: Dear Brothers and Sisters! “You are my son, this day I have begotten you” – with this passage from Psalm ...read more

Whether we like it or not, gift-giving has become characteristic of how we celebrate Christmas. When someone asks us “are you ready for Christmas?”, we automatically translate this to “do you have all of your shopping done?” Somehow, the message behind giving a gift has been lost in the exchange; the language has been distorted ...read more

Salt + Light Television presents a series of blogs reflecting on Advent and Christmas by Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Bishop William McGrattan, and Salt + Light CEO Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB.  The series will look at Mary, Joseph, the Word Made Flesh, and the Magi, and will be spread over the next two weeks.  We ...read more

Rita Sawaya's - Advent 2010 on Maui - Hawai'i. ...read more

Yesterday morning, one of my colleagues came looking for advice from the S+L producers. As a parent facilitating a children’s catechism class, she wanted to know how to get kids excited about the spiritual meaning of Christmas. Soon, we were able to extract the root problem: she wasn’t feeling very enthusiastic about it herself. I ...read more

I remember as a kid watching Christmas music videos on December 25th.  Among those videos was one tune that I couldn’t believe was considered a Christmas song.  To me the singing was bizarre: a kind of slurred, harsh barking; contrasted by a more melodious female voice.  The content of the song, hardly struck me as ...read more

I know your works. You have the name of being alive, and you are dead. Awake, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep that, and repent. That is an ...read more