Month: December 2023

Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too” [Luke 2:34-35]. In this Sunday’s Gospel lesson, Luke 2:22-40 [First Sunday After Christmas Day, RCL, Year B], Joseph and Mary continue their delicate “dance” with the secular and the sacred. Following secular law, they had traveled to Bethlehem to complete new W-9 forms in order that they could be properly taxed by the secular savior of the world, Caesar…

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it [Matthew 13:45-46]. When I read the parable that we call “The Pearl of Great Price,” I’m often carried back many years to a Christmas when our four children—three of whom now have children of their own—were young. One Saturday in early December, I asked if they’d like to help me search for a gift for their Mom. They squealed with delight. Anna, our oldest, said “The gift has to be really special, because Mom is so special.” We all…

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” … Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her [Luke 1:26-28, 38, a portion of the Gospel reading appointed for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, RCL, Year B]. Gabriel looked at the girl and wondered how this young…

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; …. [Isaiah 61:1]. At first blush, twenty-first century Christians like you and me might wonder why the Revised Common Lectionary Committee chose, with the omission of some text, the first verses of Isaiah 61 as the OT reading for the Third Sunday of Advent [Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Year B]. To be sure, the text is beautifully poetic. It speaks of bringing “good news” — literally, “the gospel” —…

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” [Mark 1: 6-8]. Each year, as I approach the Gospel reading for the second week of Advent [Mark 1:1-8, the Second Sunday of Advent, RCL, Year B], which is always devoted to “the Baptizer,” I wonder anew what made John—what made John’s particular kind of baptism—so…