The Angel’s Call
I’m writing on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. A wise time to go within… to listen for the crisp call of angels. As the light fades to gray, a bright red bird perches in a dark, barren tree. Now, all things are more easily seen. The air leans hard against us, heavy and […]
Life-Light
In the story of the annunciation, Mary responded to the angel, “How can this be?” That simple question echoes through the centuries and reverberates in me today. Close to Christmas morning now, my heart kneels in wonder at the incomprehensible mystery of the eternal Word and the specific Word of Jesus. The poetic beginning of John’s Gospel […]
Bewilderment
We enter this week before Christmas telling the story, beginning with these simple words: This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.* I am struck by how ordinary (i.e., messy) is the start of the life of a Messiah. Messy in that it is not what we expect, not all that tidy and neat, and […]
Advent Is the Season of Waiting – Dec. 12, 2022
“Advent is that unchangeable season when the same concepts, the same words rise over and over again, year after year, to challenge our hearts and plague our minds. Advent is the season of waiting. And who hasn’t waited? When we are little children, we wait for gifts from our parents. When we are young adults, […]