Our Advent preparations culminate in a rich tapestry of biblical readings in this Fourth Week of Advent. The Gospels attune our hearts and minds to receive the greatest gift of God -- the incarnation of his son Jesus who enters human history as a poor, humble child.
Imagine the countless moments the Virgin Mary experienced during the months between the Annunciation and the Nativity -- that special, private time that she and Jesus shared while he was growing in utero.
The 19th-century English poet Christina Rossetti had never heard of COVID-19, climate change or many of the woes that beset us in the bleak midwinter of 2020.
Long months of the vicious COVID-19 pandemic preceded the arrival of this year's Advent season leading to Christmas. Neither Advent nor Christmas in 2020 will escape the pandemic's shadow.
Multiple times in the past few months, when discussing the horrors of this year, a friend has half-jokingly said, "If Jesus is going to come back, now would be a great time!"
What do you think the John the Baptist of real time 2,000 years ago looked like and sounded like? I’m talking about the fascinating desert preacher who makes a fresh appearance in Christian communities during the Advent season leading to Christmas.
