A theme that caries from Advent through Christmastide is that of motherhood. While this is most commonly discussed in relation to the Virgin Mary and her older cousin Elizabeth, the entire birth narrative of Jesus invites us to ponder God’s motherly attributes as well. Elizabeth’s miraculous birth opens the Advent season. At an elderly age, […]
Tag: Gospel of Luke
On Christmastide
The secular celebration of the Christmas season seems to start early and end fast. The Church Calendar though offers a different approach to this time of year. Advent, which is in many ways clearly distinct from Christmas, is a quieter and slower waiting period leading up to Christmas, and then the joyous Christmas hubbub can […]
On Hope and Despair
When waiting in the dark for God, there are two companions at our side: hope and despair. One is there to comfort and the other is there to destroy. The story of Jesus’ birth and the season of Advent urge us to have hope when despair is leaning heavily on our spirit, or even threatening […]
On the Calendar
I have come to really appreciate the seasons of the church year—Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost and Ordinary Time. These are the primary seasons of the Liturgical Calendar that I hope to reflect on over the next year in this series of writings. Growing up in the American evangelical church, I used to […]
Relevant Reformation 