“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Advent is traditionally the four weeks leading up to Christmas. In the West it also begins the church year. (Eastern tradition begins the church year on Sept. 1.) It starts on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, which is why it often starts on the  heels of Thanksgiving. Our English word comes from the Latin Adventus, meaning “coming.” The Latin is itself a translation from the Greek parousia which refers to the coming of…

[Zechariah said to baby John] “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” (Luke 1: 76-79) For years I vaguely thought that this passage was Simeon talking to the baby Jesus. Wrong. It was Zechariah speaking…

Verse 9 from Luke 2:8-20 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Suddenly the surrounding hills burst into flame against the black night and roared with sound! This was doxa, the very radiance of heaven, the light of the face of God that kills any who look up it. Did not Moses and Ezekiel speak of this very thing? The shepherds thought they were dead and so did the animals – men screamed and shouted, sheep bleated loudly in terror, dogs barked wildly and snarled at the light. Put yourself in the story. These were not…