Calendar Class of December 14, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

Happy Bambinelli Sunday! I brought a baby for the blessing, along with a million other pilgrims.

Liturgical: Third Sunday of Advent

Day 1 O Antiphons: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)

Today is known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, "Rejoice". Rose vestments are worn to emphasize our joy that Christmas is near, and we also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath.

"Prepare ye the way of the Lord: Make straight in the wilderness His paths; Every valley shall be exalted; Every mountain and hill shall be made low; And the crooked shall be made straight; And the rough ways plain" (Is. 40:3, 4)

Third Sunday of Advent, Guadete Sunday Station with San Pietro in Vaticano (St. Peter's in the Vatican):

The Station is at St. Peter's in the Vatican. After the two great basilicas chosen for the first and for the second Sunday in Advent, we come to St. Peter's in the Vatican, a church which shares with the Lateran the chief feasts of the year. It was selected as the station for today, because on this Sunday occurred the final scrutiny or examination of those candidates preparing for the Ordinations usually held on Ember Saturday in December. The original basilica was built by Constantine in 323 over the place where St. Peter was buried.

Pope Leo's Mass and Sunday Angelus address.

Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon: Waiting in Action

Fr. Plant's Homily-Scripture Lesson: Tell John What You Think and Hear

Sanctoral: St. John of the Cross (1542–1591) - also known as San Juan de la Cruz - was born to a poor family in Old Castile, Spain. His father married below his rank and was disinherited as a result. After his father's early death, John was raised in poverty by his mother. He studied and served at a local hospital while committing himself to severe penances. Uncertain of his life's direction, he was told in prayer that he should enter religious life in order to bring reform. John joined the ancient Carmelite Order and received permission to observe their original rule of life, quickly earning a reputation for his humility, obedience, and religious fervor. He later met St. Teresa of Avila, a reforming Carmelite abbess who recognized the greatness of John's virtue and requested his assistance to found a monastery of friars under the primitive Carmelite rule, as she had done for her nuns. Together they founded the Discalced Carmelites, a contemplative order of strict religious observance. His reforms began to spread, and as a result John was captured, imprisoned, and physically abused by his fellow friars. His sufferings helped him to write his most famous work, Dark Night of the Soul. After nine months he made a miraculous escape and he went on to found and govern several Carmelite monasteries. St. John of the Cross became an authority on the spiritual life, and his profound writings and poetry are considered among the greatest of all Spanish literature. Because of his invaluable writings he was named a Doctor of the Church and the patron saint of mystics, contemplatives, and Spanish poets.

Human: "Bambinelli Sunday"-- the Blessing of the Bambinelli was first instituted by St. John Paul II. On the Third Sunday of Advent, the children of Rome are encouraged to bring the baby Jesus (Bambinelli) from each of their Nativity sets to St. Peter’s Square. Following the Sunday Angelus address, the Pope blesses the figurines. Now celebrated in other churches around the world, this Advent tradition is a way for children to connect their Nativity scene at home to the celebration of Christmas at their church.

Right now in Rome there are Nativity scene stands at the Christmas market in Piazza Navona and elsewhere that are selling all variety of figurines in the Neapolitan style. Two years ago this weekend my adventurous friend Amanda and I explored the jam-packed streets of Naples, taking in the millions of tiny objects along via San Gregorio Armeno and all the presepi around the city, such as the elaborate creations related to the world of care for the sick, dying, and condemned at the Ospedale degli Incurabili. Thanks to Amanda's expert planning and a whole lot of Providence, we were able to discover all the magic of Naples without the drama. It ranks as one of the most interesting destinations I've ever visited. If you want to go, read this helpful article.

Natural: Create an Indoor Christmas Garden-- How to Keep Christmas Plants Alive and Blooming Through the Holidays

Italian: Alzare il gomito (to drink too much alcohol)

If you ever find yourself having indulged a bit too much, here’s a handy Italian expression to add to your arsenal: alzare il gomito. It literally means “to raise the elbow,” but it’s used metaphorically to refer to drinking in excess – after all, every sip requires lifting your arm and raising your elbow to bring the glass to your lips.

Quote: Wisdom from today's saint, John of the Cross:

"The reason why the soul not only travels securely when in obscurity, but also makes greater progress, is this: In general the soul makes greater progress in the spiritual life when it least thinks so, yea, when it rather imagines that it is losing everything ...There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer, and also more profitable, than that of rejoicing and of action. In suffering God gives strength, but in action and in joy the soul does but show its own weakness and imperfections. And in suffering, the soul practices and acquires virtue, and becomes pure, wiser, and more cautious."

“Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction.”