Your Sunday Sermon Notes

In the older, traditional form of the Roman Rite, today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with a commemoration of the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

In the newer, Novus Ordo, today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent.  Immaculate Conception is displaced.

Were there any good points in the sermon you heard for your Sunday Mass of obligation?

Let us know.

You could add your good points from sermons for the Immaculate Conception, if you went to Mass on Monday.

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34 Comments

  1. Mike says:

    [TLM:] St. Jerome calls Isaiah an evangelist. Mary’s Fiat brings the Immaculate Conception mysteriously from eternity to a point in time. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception falling during Advent alludes not only to the coming of Christ with respect to the Four Last Things but also to his First Coming and His presence among us today.

  2. Nan says:

    Fr. visiting priest from Boston is in town for Bishop Cozzens Episcopal ordination tomorrow and told us that John the Baptist is the one Isaiah prophesied crying out in the wilderness. Prepare for the Kingdom of God. It was early and I was a little confused by the unfamiliar priest.

  3. Priam1184 says:

    The priests entire homily could be summed up in this point: GO TO CONFESSION. He used John the Baptist’s rebuke of the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to him with hard hearts as his starting point, and then proceeded to list and demolish each of the reasons people give in our day to not go to Confession. Good stuff, I hope everyone was listening.

  4. DavidR says:

    Fr. actually spoke about sin. Deo gratias.

    He’s a good man, but he tends to ad lib.

  5. Father’s homily at Mass today could be summarized in the oft-repeated words of Fr. Z:
    GO TO CONFESSION.

  6. lmgilbert says:

    At Holy Rosary this morning Father compared the Pharisees, the over- strict interpreters of the Law in Our Lord’s time, to the Super-Catholics of today who expert at finding fault with Pope Francis; he compared the Sadducees, the overly lax interpreters of the Law who wanted to fit in with the Greco-Roman way of life, to the professors, journalists and especially the politicians of today who are Catholic in name only.

    He said that both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis are great popes whom the Lord has given us, with Pope Benedict teaching us what to believe, and Pope Francis showing us how to live our faith. It was a sermon of the old school, very direct and dealing with the issues of our time.

  7. Jason Keener says:

    The priest at a nearby Carmelite shrine gave an awesome homily. He basically told us Catholics to wake-up and start living our Catholic Faith out in the public square. The good father said we should have more courage like St. John the Baptist did when he prepared the way of the Lord. The good father also threw in a few good zingers. He said he was sure that some Catholics looked out the window this morning, saw a little snow, and went back to bed. He said, “How pathetic!” I thanked the good father for his wonderful homily. Too bad only 25 of us or so were there to hear it. Hope he is preaching next weekend!

  8. Magpie says:

    Thanks for this Father.

  9. JohnMa says:

    I attended a Divine Liturgy 3 blocks from my house offered by the youngest bishop in the world, His Excellency Milan Lach. What an amazing sermon (although I don’t think the little ones were big fans of the length of the sermon). He started off talking about the culture of death and how people today don’t want contraception and instead use contraceptives and abortion as alternatives, both here in the US and in his Archeparchy in the Slovak Republic. He went on to talk about Catholics in name only and how they want to come to church on Sunday but then use contraceptives during the week. When is the last time you heard a bishop preach about that? (A Jesuit appointed by Francis no less) He then went on to talk about the responsibility of fathers in the household. He talked about how the family should read the Bible on a daily basis and discuss its contents. Off of that he talked about how the Christmas season needs to be about Christ and not about presents. Finally, he talked about the union of the church, in the US and Slovak Republic.

  10. CGPearson says:

    Father, out of curiosity, what does it mean when you say that there is “a commemoration of the 2nd Sunday of Advent”? Is there any difference in the way the Immaculate Conception Mass in the EF is celebrated today versus when the feast day falls on a non-Sunday?

  11. Giuseppe says:

    We had the 2nd Sunday of Advent Mass, but with a clever sermon starting on the Immaculate Conception and then about Original Sin. God commanded obedience (don’t eat from the tree) and the devil countered with temptation of knowledge and power (so we could be like God). Take home point: have humility and do not think you are like God; even if you think you know it all, you don’t.

  12. rkingall says:

    The deacon gave the sermon today, and normally, that kind of irks me, but I am new to a parish and this was the first time I heard the deacon speak at Mass there. It was outstanding. He spoke about the Kingdom of God at hand, making a commitment to repentance, the sacrament of Reconciliation and the need for all of us to go often, truly living as Christ commands us. He talked about varying sins that we may feel ashamed to admit, including (are you ready for this?!)… birth control, abortion, addictions, selfishness, gluttony. As all the kids text: OMG! I was wowed. I only get that kind of lecturing here and over at the Vortex. A winning second Sunday of Advent!

  13. Sonshine135 says:

    I went to the Solemn High Mass in Extraordinary Form. It was an Orchestral Mass and another first for the Diocese of Charlotte, NC. The choir used Mozart’s Missa Brevis in D Major. It was an absolutely beautiful way to honor our Lord and His Mother.

    The focus was on how the New Testament fulfilled the Old Testament and focused on why our Holy Mother’s Conception is Immaculate. Eve was born without original sin, and Mary is the new Eve- just as Jesus is the new Adam. For that to be the case, she must be without sin, specially created to be the ark of the new covenant. The ark of the covenant carried the law, the staff of Aaron (authority), and a jar of manna (bread in the dessert). Our Lady carried the law, the authority, and the bread of life.

  14. ktfaith says:

    The priest at the Novus Ordo Mass we attended actually focused on sin. Usually the priests at the parishes in our area give softball sermons which get very boring very quickly. However, tonight the priest talked about how even if things in today’s world may be legal (he mentioned abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage in one punch) they are still sin. Wow! I totally wasn’t expecting that.

  15. zag4christ says:

    We celebrated the Mass of the second Sunday in Advent. Fr. Connall began by relating how John the Baptist had significant “power” as evidenced by how the many, many, people from the surrounding geographic region were coming to him, some for repentance, some because the Jews of the time were looking for the Messiah, and were thinking that it was John. John was a simple, popular and powerful preacher. He attracted many followers. He could of misused his power, but continually used it for the good, which was to point people to Christ. Fr. Connall then said that all of us have “power” of some sort, whether as the owners/CEO’s of large corporations, elected public officials, heads of families, clergy, pretty much everyone does in some situations in our lives. He then suggested that no matter what our own situation is, we should model what John the Baptist did and turn every opportunity that arises when we have “power” is to use it for the good and to turn or point people to Christ.
    Also today in Fr. Connall’s column, “From the Rector”, he addressed the recent return (today’s Mass) of the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. He explained that the Council Father’s of Vatican II had called for the people to pray certain parts of the Mass in Latin, and the aforementioned are the minimum. He said that once we have mastered these, we will consider the Gloria, Credo, and Pater Noster.
    Peace and God bless.

  16. Philmont237 says:

    My dad (a newly ordained permement deacon) gave his first homily this weekend. His meageas basically this: life is short so do God’s will in the way He wants you to do it, follow the precepts of the Church, constantly repent because we constantly sin, and GO TO COFESSION!!!

  17. Our sermon today was on the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Mary was preserved from sin from the very moment of her conception. Father also mentioned a bit about the history of St Nicholas as well as the Jewish culture shunning those who didn’t have children. He told us to keep the Blessed Mother in our prayer life, that we should ask for her intercession.

  18. av8er says:

    Our pastor has a “style” to deliver a good homily. Mostly about what Advent means. To be prepared. He talked about the effect of accumulating venial sins to the point it becomes habitual. and GO TO CONFESSION!

  19. Paul says:

    Prior to the first reading the priest stood up and gave a talk about the background and the conditions at the time of Isaiah, then the reading was done. Not sure, I guess he was setting the stage for the first reading. The sermon was about baptism.

  20. JonPatrick says:

    The theme for the first part of Fr. Parent’s homily for the feast of the Immaculate Conception (EF) might have been titled “What Does The Gospel Really Say”? When the Angel Gabriel says the words “full of grace” the Greek words that Luke uses here have a meaning of “full of grace for all time”, whereas if he had wanted to say “full of grace at that moment” he would have used different words, as he did in the the Book of Acts when referring to St. Stephen at his martyrdom. The Bible does support what the church has always taught regarding Mary’s lack of Original Sin. For example the references to Mary as the Ark of the Covenant. In the old Testament the Ark contained the word of God on the stone tablets. Men who carried the ark had to be without sin. In the same way Mary carries the Word of God (John 1:1) and therefore has to be without sin.

  21. Vincent says:

    Our EF has been moved to the new Oratorian church in England, so this was the first time I got the opportunity to go. Father talked about how we should compare ourselves to Herod – drawn to the Gospel, drawn to John. Drawn to the Truth, but ignoring it because we’re so caught up in worldly affairs, and so we need to go to Confession ;). Also included a subtle dig at the modern style of preaching, saying that John the Baptist, and even Our Lord, weren’t afraid to ‘have a go’ at their audiences…

  22. Gregg the Obscure says:

    OF Mass for 2d Sunday of Advent: St. Matthew emphasized St. John the Baptist’s ministry being at the Jordan river to indicate that his ministry was like the end of the Exodus and the entry into the promised land.

  23. MaterDei says:

    At the EF, Fr.’s homily was about Advent being a time when, using the Blessed Virgin as the perfect Model, we rid our hearts of sin and selfishness and make them a place of holiness and pure virtue, so that at Christmas, we can welcome Christ into our souls.

  24. Konichiwa says:

    Our new priest has some strange ideas about getting more active participation from people by wanting to put up ugly projector screens in the church (N.O. parish), BUT his homiles have been very good and deliver much needed messages.
    This week he discussed how the little things we do can affect the sanctification of others. How when some of us speak unneccesarily during Mass we make it difficult for others to pray and receive graces from God. I pray he repeats this message. He also encouraged us to go to confession.

  25. I deleted a few comments.

    Friends… what part of GOOD points is hard to understand?

    GOOD!

  26. pannw says:

    Father reminded us that last week we were shown the importance of justice for our fellow man, that man deserves what is due him, but this week we are shown the importance of the justice in giving God what is due Him. This starts with a single word, the first from St. John the Baptist in the Gospel when he addressed the people, “REPENT!” That The Lord gave us the best way to do this in the Sacrament of Confession and that we should understand that confession is more about God’s infinite mercy than our sins. Father then lead us in a beautiful examination of conscience, so that we might be ready to make a good confession and implored us to do so during the penitential season of Advent. Go to Confession!

    I love my priest. I am so blessed. Deo gratias!

  27. chantgirl says:

    Unable to make my normal EF Mass, we went to a NO Mass said by a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. He was speaking about the devotion that we should show to the Eucharist. He contrasted his experience at a large outdoor Mass in which plastic bowls and pitchers were used to distribute Communion, and his personal experience watching the mother of a four-year-old who died of cancer caring for every inch of his body after death. It is rare that a homily can bring me to tears, but this one hit a nerve. If only we had some inkling of what the Eucharist really is, we wouldn’t be so casual about liturgy, mentally preparing for Mass, and receiving the Lord. This was an instance of showing beauty instead of lecturing, and it really brought home the message.

  28. what does it mean when you say that there is “a commemoration of the 2nd Sunday of Advent”? Is there any difference in the way the Immaculate Conception Mass in the EF is celebrated today versus when the feast day falls on a non-Sunday?

    It means that each of the proper prayers of the Immaculate Conception–the Collect, Secret, and Postcommunion recited or chanted by the celebrant–is immediately followed by the corresponding proper prayer for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Thus at an EF Mass with a commemoration, there are two collects, two secrets, and two postcommunion prayers–and to follow everything in a hand missal, you need to have ribbons set both at the Mass being celebrated (of which you hear all) and at the Mass being commemorated (of which you hear part). This is the only difference from an EF Mass without commemoration (which has only one of each).

    There are no such “double propers” in an OF Mass. Which might possibly be one underlying OF rationale for transferring rather than commemorating concurring feasts?

  29. djc says:

    Daily mass this feast day was excellent. Father talked about why the feast day is important and we said both the Gloria and the Apostles Creed. Is it normal to like weekday masses as much or better than Sunday mass? I actually like both of them I guess but daily mass is so much more monastic in a way.

    Happy Feast Day to all.

    djc

  30. Siculum says:

    Konichiwa, Mr. or Ms. Konichiwa!

    I couldn’t but help respond to your post. I do A/V, including projectors. I remember once trying to explain the Catholic Mass to my otherwise great, pro-life boss, who was a Methodist, and also a proponent of *their* older liturgy, with less rock-n-roll-type music and informal service. If only he were Catholic….

    Anyway, his church has a projector, and when we were discussing how we both help with the audio in our churches, he was making suggestions about how I could set up a projector for my church. I had to explain how we don’t and will never have a projector — and that we believe we have something better — heaven on earth.

    Another friend of mine, also Protestant, wanted some tips on how he could set up a projector in a closed Catholic parish his Protestant sect had purchased — a parish I used to attend occasionally. I had to try to not slap my forehead, except mentally, of course.

    A word to the unwise: A projector and more technological fanfare, while very wonderful for other things, will not — I repeat, not — help the faithful more actively participate in the Mass. What have televisions and other screens done to us? They have made us more PASSIVE. We sit there and absorb, because it is just thrown at us. We don’t have to do anything. Everyone knows what too much TV has done to our world… This from a TV watcher, who is — apart from EWTN and some important news and few old movies and documentaries and the weather forecast — probably none the better for it.

    Projection is TV. We don’t go to Mass to watch TV. We go to Mass to pray and behold and receive the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

    And don’t let this priest try to tell you about Jumbotrons at papal Masses and the like — they are NOT the same thing. They are temporary installations which serve a completely different purpose than a permanent projector in an enclosed Catholic church with a defined physical space and far more limited number of worshiping faithful.

    Finally, if the priest were to utilize a projector to put up hymn lyrics with that little bouncing dot over each word as it is sung, he would be more than distracting the faithful, even from looking at his smiling face. Unless, of course, he is live-videoed, and projected on the screen in 8-foot-high form, so we can see his nose hairs in crystal-clear HD.

    Electronics distract. That’s why I’m on Father Z when I should be doing other things. We need to leave the Mass alone; microphones, electric lights, and good HVAC are certainly enough technological innovation to last us another thousand years.

    …And indoor plumbing for when the homily is just so long, and you just know you shouldn’t have drunk that fourth cup of Mystic Monk coffee before Mass…. But that’s it. No projectors.

    OK, back to work.

  31. Supertradmum says:

    Excellent sermon by this diocese’s vocations director, who is also a TLM priest-good sign. He said one thing I stuck on my blog which was so beautiful. Fr. said that Mary’s life was one long yes to God. Or course, yesterday was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the EF.

    Simple but profound thoughts…and how God was calling all people to be holy and perfect. Yeah!

  32. Chris Garton-Zavesky says:

    Two great points:

    1) Some theologians (I usually cringe when I hear this, but given who was saying it, I listening more intently) assert that the Incarnation wasn’t a “bandage”, and that therefore Mary’s Immaculate Conception isn’t a fall-back plan when Man messed up, but had been part of God’s plan from the beginning. This, father explained, made sense of how Lucifer sinned: he refused to acknowledge God’s greatest miracle (the incarnation), because it would have meant that he had to bow before a man who was also God.

    2) The declaration in 1854 of the Immaculate Conception didn’t come, unprepared, ex nihilo, from the pope’s digestive ailments (my paraphrase). Instead, father presented the fact that the doctrine was believed before it was formally promulgated, including that America was placed under the protection of the Immaculate Conception before the doctrine had been formally defined.

  33. Pater Raphael says:

    Good Morning all! Have just seen your post and I wanted to respond that not everywhere in the world was the feast of the immaculate conception transferred! Here in Austria the 2nd Sunday of Advent was suppressed and the Sollemnity was celebrated. So, please do not think that wierd things that happen in America… perhaps due to American Bishop’s decisions are in fact the fault of the Novus Ordo. Still, I hope that you had a good feastday and greetings from the alps.

  34. Uxixu says:

    I was a bit distracted by the lack of Creed but remember it was a daily Mass.

    The main point of tonight’s homily was a line by line analysis of the Annunciation and use the Blessed Virgin as our role model .

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