Behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”. . After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until… Continue reading Go Where the Light Leads
Bigheartedness in Person
The ancient Hebrews had no word for the brain, a puzzling oversight to us moderns, who believe our brains make us who we are, our thoughts, our feelings, and our actions originating in the gray matter of our heads. Not so for the Hebrews, who believed the heart was the center of all human existence,… Continue reading Bigheartedness in Person
Ever Hopeful
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.” (Luke… Continue reading Ever Hopeful
Behold Him
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory. (John 1.14) He came under the shadow of night, when the sky was dark, not under the bright lights, when all was visible. To see him, look for him earnestly, even in the dimness, even when you can see… Continue reading Behold Him
The Lady With the Lamp
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1.26-28) If you prefer listening… Continue reading The Lady With the Lamp
Deciding Who We Are
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted, “I am not the Christ” . . . So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He… Continue reading Deciding Who We Are
A Couple of Minutes of Honesty
John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed, “One mightier than I is coming after me.” (Mark 1.6-7) If you prefer listening to an audio version of the text, please click on the arrow above. A few… Continue reading A Couple of Minutes of Honesty
Memories of a Harmonica
Sometimes I’m amazed at the things I’ve forgotten, things buried in the past so deep that they can’t possibly find their way to the surface again, only to discover, much to my surprise, that the simplest and the mildest of triggers will unearth them, these buried memories popping out of the ground like tulips in… Continue reading Memories of a Harmonica
Satchel Packed and Ready
“Watch, therefore, you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.” (Mark 13.35-36) If you prefer listening to an audio version of the text, please click on the arrow… Continue reading Satchel Packed and Ready
Mama’s Baby Boy
When he entered the world, he carried a lot of weight, over ten pounds, in fact, which is a helluva ham if you’re in the meat aisle of Walmart. Today, he still carries a lot of weight, this time not in pounds, but in influence. Back when he was ten pounds, we called him “Baby… Continue reading Mama’s Baby Boy
Sunday Brunch 