A popular idiom is, “God works in mysterious ways.” While there may be a mystery to God's purposes and will, sometimes God works in overt and public ways. In the case of Joseph, the soon-to-be-husband of Mary, we find a…
We read stories in the Bible of those who prayed and fasted and then God appeared to them. We read other stories of lament and despair when hopes go unrealized and dreams are unfulfilled. The story of Zechariah is a…
This Christmas exhortation is written by St. Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Nineveh, dating from the 6th century. His writing here encapsulates the hope of the Nativity and the actions that flow from it. St. Isaac invites us to confront more than…
In the days of pandemic and polarity there seems to be so little wonder for us to hold. This story following Jesus' birth is filled with obedience, witness, and wonder. So often, we try and solve and resolve wonder. At…
Christmas always seems to bring the church into a strange intersection with culture. The Euro-centric celebration of Christmas affirms gift-giving, family gatherings, and general warm feelings. These feelings might be epitomized in holiday decorations, favorite indulgent foods, or the simple…
The birth of Jesus is a collision between the powerful and powerless. Like so many other occasions, the grace of God is revealed at the margins or the edges. Jesus' with happens in a small town, in a single family…