Advent 2017
During the Advent you have to prepare yourselves not only with prayer, but also with sacrifices and acts of mortification. Try not to smoke, watch less television, help your neighbor; the Mother repeats herself, as my Son Jesus repeats himself.
This novena has been drafted by Bishop Claudio Gatti, in preparation for the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 2000, as a study, meditation and prayer. For this reason, our Bishop has guided us in the reading of Chapter VIII of the Lumen Gentium Constitution of the II Vatican Council, explaining Our Lady’s stature and mission. In this way, the Bishop wanted us to add to the Word and the letters of God, a knowledge, albeit partial, of the main documents of the Church
The first reading is from Isaiah, inspired by God about seven centuries before Christ, but his words can be perfectly adapted to the Church current situation which is in fact precisely in the same condition as the people of Isaiah were in that period. (Homily of H.E. Mons. Claudio Gatti)
God created Mary holy, full of grace and Immaculate. In her, there has never been sin and, since the first moment of conception in her mother's womb, she has been conscious and able to love immensely.
In God's plans the Eucharist is the central point towards which each man and the Church must converge and then leave again, comforted by the sacramental grace of the Eucharist, so that everybody can do what he has to do according to God's will and his plans.
The Holy Christmas Novena, preparing the birth of Jesus, clearly tells about the biblical characters with precision and details. We have to live these moments of grace not like a simple audience in front of a cinema sequence, but like persons living the described events. Through the knowledge of the Gospel stories we can grow loving Jesus the Eucharist and Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. This novena was preached by Don Claudio Gatti to prepare Christmas 1998
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Today I invite you to pay special attention to the first passage of the Holy scripture we just read, so you may be persuaded that even a passage about a historical fact that from a spiritual point of view is not conducive to reflection and meditation, instead it offers us, for it is God's Word, the possibility, if we are we capable and well-led, to deepen the meaning and to receive useful concepts for our existence, practical advices for a better spiritual life.
Today, especially the western world is thinking that abortion and divorce are symbols of achieved democracy, development and civilization and is boasting about it. Divorce and abortion are deadly weapons destroying families and killing children. That's why Our Lady said: "Pray for families, pray for children". What is the secret of good success in a family and the happiness that should reign in it? It is union and stability.