Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

A Young Mother Gives Birth

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.ďż˝ (Luke 2: 1 ďż˝ 7)

Making a difficult Journey

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean." (Matt. 2: 20- 23)

Facing difficult circumstances

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: "A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more." (Matt. 2: 16 ďż˝ 19)

The Fruit of Thy Womb.

What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. "God sent forth his Son", but to prepare a body for him, he wanted the free co-operation of a creature. For this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of his Son a daughter of Israel, a young Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, "a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary"(Lk. 1:26,27) Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord". In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos). (CCC, 495,496) (Council of Ephesus, 431 AD)


More Advent & Christmas

Advent & Christmas 2023

Begins Sunday December 3, 2023

Ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

"And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.'"
Luke 1:35

Christ the King

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Image of Christ the King

Advent 2023 starts on Sunday December 3, 2023

Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas every year.

Image of Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary[holy day of obligation]

Advent 2023 ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

Advent ends on Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas, every year.

Image of ChristmasBirth of Our Lord Jesus[holy day of obligation]

Image of The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God[holy day of obligation]

Epiphany

Saturday January 6, 2023

Image of Epiphany

Advent Reflections

Reflection for every day of Advent

Image of Advent Reflections

Advent Calendar

Every day of Advent

Image of Advent Calendar

Advent Candle

24 Days of December

Image of Advent Candle

Advent Wreath

Each Sunday of Advent

Image of Advent Wreath

Advent & Christmas Classes

14 Free Classes - Mobile Friendly

Image of Advent & Christmas Classes

Advent & Christmas PDFs

FREE - Printable - Catholic

Image of Advent & Christmas PDFs

Christmas Gifts

Free Shipping $70+

Image of Christmas Gifts

Nativity Scene

Holy Family

Image of Nativity Scene

St. Nicholas

December 6th

Image of St. Nicholas

Advent? What is it all about

What is Advent? The word Advent derives from the Latin word meaning coming. The Lord is coming. We may reflect that every year at this time we celebrate his coming... continue reading

The Christmas Story

The Christmas Story To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of... continue reading

Advent Daily Readings

Daily Scripture Readings for Advent The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby... continue reading


More Advent & Christmas

Feast of the Epiphany - A Sunday Letter by Deacon Keith Fournier

Image of Photo credit: Michael Payne

My friends, brothers, and sisters in the Lord,On Sunday January 7, 2024 in the United States and many other Nations, we celebrate the Feast ... continue reading


The Deacon Saint Stephen the Proto-Martyr is a Model for all Christians

Image of Photo credit: Grant Whitty

In the Catholic Church, Christmas is celebrated for eight days (Octave, from the Latin Octava) and opens up into a wonderful liturgical ... continue reading



Love is Born on Christmas Morn, and the World is Born Anew Watch

Image of Image by Vickie McCarty from Pixabay

The Gospel passages proclaimed at the Vigil and the Midnight Mass of Christmas root the Nativity of the Lord, in the family history and ... continue reading


5 Ways to keep Jesus in your Christmas celebrations this year

Image of How will you keep Christ in Christmas this year?

Christmas is a magical time of year when decorations line the streets, children are suddenly behaving and the Post Office struggles to keep ... continue reading


Advent Reflection - Day 22- The Fourth Sunday of Advent Watch

Image of

Advent Reflection - Day 22 - The Fourth Sunday of Advent  This is the last day of this year's Advent preparations. Tonight, we greet the ... continue reading


Advent Reflection - Day 21 - The Third Saturday of Advent Watch

Image of

Advent Reflection - Day 21 - The Third Saturday of Advent Within Mary's womb, our Savior stirs. The moment is near! The Holy Family turns ... continue reading


Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Saint of the Day logo
Prayer of the Day logo

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.