Catholic Faith Formation Resources

Gratitude is a way of living. It is a foundational spiritual practice woven throughout Scripture and Christian tradition. Gratitude shapes the way you relate to God, to others, yourself, and to the world. Gratitude recognizes God as the source of all good things. Scripture teaches that every blessing—material, relational, spiritual—ultimately comes from God (e.g., 1 Chron. 29:13-14; Psalm 24:1; Mark 10:18; James 1:17; Eph. 2:8-9). Our gratitude acknowledges this and keeps our hearts oriented toward the Source of these blessings, and not merely the gifts we receive. Gratitude is our direct, natural, and fitting response to the gifts of God’s grace in our life. The Bible instructs us “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18); “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1); “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15); “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it ...

The Advent Season begins on Sunday, November 30, 2025. The United States Bishops describe this season as follows: Beginning the Church's liturgical year, Advent (from, ad-venire in Latin or 'to come to') is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas * * * The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, we focus on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord at Christmas. As Pope Francis reminds us, Advent invites us to a commitment to vigilance, looking beyond ourselves, expanding our mind and heart in order to open ourselves up to the needs of people, of brothers and sisters, and to the desire for a new world. ( Angelus , 2018) The Christmas season begins December 25, 2025 and ends Janua...