Each week, a Dominican member of the Provincial Preaching Advisory board prepares this Preacher’s Sketchbook in anticipation of the upcoming Sunday Mass.  The idea of the Preacher’s Sketchbook is to take quotations from the authority of the Church–the Pope, the Fathers of the Church, documents of the Councils, the saints–that can help spark ideas for the Sunday homily.   Just as an artist’s sketchbook preserves ideas for later elaboration, so we hope the Preacher’s Sketchbook will provide some ideas for homiletical elaboration.

Sketchbook

St. Basil the Great, from Letter 236

The Tribe of Judah did not fail until he came for whom it was reserved, he who did not sit upon a material throne (as the kingdom of Judea had now been transferred to Herod, the son of Antipas, and to his sons, who divided Judea into four provinces when Pilate was governor). Christ’s indestructible kingdom is called the throne of David; on this the Lord sat. He himself is the “expectation of the nations” (Gen 49.10).

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In this episode of Word to Life, Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P. and Fr. Bruno Shah, O.P. discuss the readings for the Third Sunday of Advent. (photo by Fr. Gillen taken outside the Sirius XM Radio headquarters in Manhattan.)

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Each week, a Dominican member of the Provincial Preaching Advisory board prepares this Preacher’s Sketchbook in anticipation of the upcoming Sunday Mass.  The idea of the Preacher’s Sketchbook is to take quotations from the authority of the Church–the Pope, the Fathers of the Church, documents of the Councils, the saints–that can help spark ideas for the Sunday homily.   Just as an artist’s sketchbook preserves ideas for later elaboration, so we hope the Preacher’s Sketchbook will provide some ideas for homiletical elaboration.

Sketchbook

Pope Benedict XVI, Homily for Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent (2008)

Advent is the spiritual season of hope par excellence, and in it the whole Church is called to become hope, for herself and for the world. The whole organism of the Mystical Body acquires, so to speak, the “colour” of hope. The whole People of God continue on their journey, attracted by this mystery: that our God is “the God who comes” and calls us to go to meet him. How? In the first place in that universal form of hope and expectation which is prayer, which is eminently expressed in the Psalms, human words in which God himself has placed and continually places the invocation of his coming on the lips and in the hearts of believers.

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This Advent, join the Dominican communities at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish (Charlottesville, VA), St. Dominic’s Parish (Washington, DC), and the Dominican House of Studies (Washington, DC) to hear conferences given by student brothers of the province in preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas.

Each week during the season of Advent, each location will feature one of the talks described below:

Faith and the Birth of Truth

Br. Peter Martyr Joseph Yungwirth, O.P.

In a culture of skepticism and rationalism, the truth of Christ’s existence is not only being challenged with regard to its historicity, but also its significance is being challenged spiritually. However, the Church continues to proclaim the Truth who became incarnate. This presentation seeks to bring out the relevance of faith in God who was born among us.

Life is Worth Living: Our Hope in Jesus

Br. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, O.P.

St. Peter tells us, “Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). God, our hope, has come to save us; he was born as a little child in Bethlehem in order to become the Savior of the World on Calvary. With the help of the Holy Scriptures, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Servant of God Fulton Sheen, we will examine the relationship between the Birth of Christ and our hope in him as our Savior, so that we might be ready to give an account of that hope to the world as instruments of his saving message.

Love of the Flesh

Br. John Baptist Hoang, O.P.

The “spirit of Christmas” is about giving and good cheer. Why do we have to have a special celebration once a year? Why do people stress about Christmas shopping? What is the spirit of Christmas? This presentation will offer answers for the modern person from a “bodily” perspective.

Schedules for the Conferences

Schedule for Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC

Life is Worth Living: Our Hope in Jesus – Br. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, O.P. – December 4 – 7:15 pm
Love of the Flesh – Br. John Baptist Hoang, O.P. – December 11 – 7:15 pm
Faith and the Birth of Truth – Br. Peter Martyr Joseph Yungwirth, O.P. – December 18 – 7:15 pm

PDF of schedule

Schedule for St. Dominic’s Parish in Washington, DC

Faith and the Birth of Truth – Br. Peter Martyr Joseph Yungwirth, O.P. – December 4 – 3:00 pm
Life is Worth Living: Our Hope in Jesus – Br. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, O.P. – December 11 – 3:00 pm
Love of the Flesh – Br. John Baptist Hoang, O.P. – December 18 – 3:00 pm

PDF of schedule

Schedule for St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlottesville, VA

Love of the Flesh – Br. John Baptist Hoang, O.P. – December 4 – 10:15 am
Faith and the Birth of Truth – Br. Peter Martyr Joseph Yungwirth, O.P. – December 11 – 10:15 am
Life is Worth Living: Our Hope in Jesus – Br. Vincent Ferrer Bagan, O.P. – December 18 – 10:15 am

PDF of schedule