The magi come bearing not just the gold and frankincense that, in Isaiah, were harbingers of a triumphant future, but also myrrh, an ancient burial spice. Matthew is preparing us from the very beginning to understand that the new life Jesus offers us does not come without hardship and sacrifice. We don’t get to skip over the hard parts. … More The Future Is Bright
On a cold night in a dark stable, where a displaced family took their rest on beds of hay and a teenage mother gave birth to her firstborn child, God took an impossible situation and made it beautiful. … More Christmas Eve: God Makes It Beautiful
Witnesses show up when truth is obscured by alternate accounts or distractions that draw our attention away. John’s witness focuses us on what is most true so we will be ready for Jesus when he appears. … More Witnesses Reveal What Is True
It has been said that every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets. Our systems and institutions have been perfectly designed to do just the opposite of what Jesus envisions. When Christ reigns, the ways of this world are turned upside down. … More Reign of Christ: A Festival for Our Time
Those of us who go through the world with a high degree of privilege are often quick to call for unity and civility without acknowledging the need for reparations. We cannot have unity without repairing the harm that has been done. “No justice, no peace.” … More Unity, but with Justice
