In today’s Gospel, we see the profound blessing of hearing and observing the Word of God—and no one exemplifies this more perfectly than our Blessed Mother Mary. She devoured the Scriptures, rejoiced in the Word made flesh, and prepared the way for Christ. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase; I must decrease.”

The Catholic doctrine of Purgatory existed centuries before any contrary teaching of other denominations. So how can we prove it exists? Hear Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, quote scripture and church teaching to help you understand and defend this teaching.

Today, Fr. Chris Alar reflects on the true meaning of love through the example of St. Martin of Tours — a man remembered for one simple act of charity. A Roman soldier who divided his cloak to clothe a beggar, St. Martin discovered that in serving the poor, he had served Christ Himself (cf. Mt 25:40). What seems like a small moment reveals an eternal truth: love is not sentiment but sacrifice.