The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light, Isaiah told us once, back in Advent as we were awaiting the birth of the Christ child. We’re now in the season of Epiphany, celebrating the light of Christ in the world. But today’s text tugs at us to go back to Isaiah, not … read
One of our deepest desires is to belong. And most of us have at some point have felt the pain of not belonging. Before I went to seminary, I studied in Chicago for a master’s degree in literature and religion. It was one of the most difficult periods in my life. The academics were fine, … read
I’ve been thinking about the holidays and how they bring out the best and worst in us, don’t they? Some people bring a long list of expectations and judge the goodness of the holiday based on the percentage of expectations that were met. Others race around trying to meet those expectations and consider the holiday … read
If the only gospel we had was the fourth one, the Gospel According to John, things might look a lot different today. We might not be celebrating the birth of Jesus; we would have no crèche adorning the chancel, no star-banners twinkling above us, no carols about babies sleeping in hay amid lowing cattle and … read
“There is a truth past knowing. There is a joy past hope.”—Tracey Miller (my dad) It’s hard to believe that twenty-one years ago, during Advent, I was newly pregnant with the person we came to know as Alex Vischer. The happiness was made brighter and sweeter by Christmas lights and candles, the fresh scent of … read