Reflections & Blog.

“The Work of Christmas” from Howard Thurman’s The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways

Lord, have mercy. Restore me and purify me in your mercy.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord, Rejoice, rejoice, my spirit, in God

For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys

My prayer for this Advent: Help me to reach for you, God of Love.

I remember as an Episcopalian kid being surprised to learn that Christian, Judaism and Islam are all Abrahamic religions.

Credentials. Just about every job we do requires that we have a certificate, license, degree or some other authorization

These words in Matthew have given me a fair amount to ponder and chew on. I have found myself being both sons when asked to do something.

Do you remember where you learned about authority? When I was a child, I had pretty clear ideas about the way that things should be done

In this time of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the Christ-Mass, or the symbolic coming of Christ into the world of humanity,

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man

If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea…

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” … Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom…

Isaiah 40:1-11 is about the Israelites in the wilderness. Wilderness under slavery in Egypt. Wilderness in another forty years of wandering