Dec 24, 2020
The ultimate lesson of Advent, indeed the ultimate lesson of the whole of scripture and the life of faith, is love - the pure, open, unending and unconditional, freely-given love of God. It is the simplest of insights, and yet we can go decades - even as confessing Christians - without truly seeing it...truly.
And so...
Dec 23, 2020
If any emotion has been in short supply this year, it's joy.
And yet Advent calls us to return to this central experience of the Christian life, whatever our momentary circumstances.
Today we hear from Banning Cantarini, a young and gifted preacher, who takes a look at how one of our most beloved carols of Christmas was...
Dec 10, 2020
Peace is the theme of the 2nd week of Advent and one of the central promises of the Bible.
And yet for many of us, true peace - both inward and in creation - is very elusive.
How can we find inner calm when so much of the world is hurting? Would we not have to turn a blind eye to suffering? Indeed, is not the way to...
Dec 3, 2020
We begin Advent 2020 with a look (by our beloved Rev. Ian Farrell) at a Jewish official named Sosthenes.
Originally mentioned in the book of Acts, he took part in bringing charges against Paul in Corinth, charges that could have had dire consequences. And when the case is thrown out of court, Sosthenes is attacked by...
Jan 8, 2020
Once again, Isaiah speaks of the birth of a child in connection with Israel's deliverance. But unlike the the prophesy of chapter 7 (see Ep. 278), the child described is nearly impossible identify in Isaiah's original context. Indeed, the whole of the poem moves fluidly between past, present and future, as though all...