“But now thus says the Lord: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine’” (Is. 43:1).

Epiphany is the season of revelation: the manifestation of God’s glory in Christ. During the season we’re given stories that reveal the person of Jesus Christ. Last week, our Gospel reading of the visit of the Wise Men to Bethlehem, to worship and adore the Messiah; next week, Christ’s first miracle … Read more

“We observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage” (Matt. 2:2).

If you look up at the night sky, you will see the stars and planets, and the moon in season; maybe some other things as well: satellites whirring around, a stray plane or two, maybe a comet or shooting star. People don’t know as much as they used to about the objects in the night sky. The ability to discern … Read more

“When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us… according to his mercy” (Tit. 3:4-5).

“Grace” means “gift”: something given freely, not because it’s owed but because it’s in the power of the giver to bestow it. We sometimes make a distinction between a gift that’s deserved and one that’s undeserved, but once we start talking about what we’re owed or about our prior claim we’re no longer talking about … Read more

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk. 1:42).

I heard the other day that one result of the 2018 election is that a majority of those who will serve as legislators in the State of Nevada in the coming year will be women. This is the first time this has happened in any of the fifty states; it certainly is a sign of the times. These results mirror … Read more

“With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk. 1:17).

We know that angels will appear on Christmas Eve, in due course, and soon enough, to greet the Savior’s birth; but for his part, the angel Gabriel is hard at work long before that, … Read more

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).

“Joy” is an Advent theme, a word that looms large in the season. Our liturgy and lectionary do their best to keep the word in front of us during Advent, returning again and again, in prayer and psalm and reading, to the theme of “joy.”  If you look back over the past two weeks you will see the word constantly cropping up, as … Read more

“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).

The “Day of the Lord” in ancient Israel began as a tocsin call, a rallying cry to the People of God to assemble and prepare for battle. There were many enemies in the Promised Land, and the People needed to gather and to act together in the … Read more

“May he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thess. 3:13).

St. Paul wrote to the Church in Thessalonica because he was not physically present. As a missionary, he had passed through the city on a journey that eventually took him on to Athens and Corinth to the south. During his time in Thessalonica … Read more

“Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him” (Rev. 1:7).

The Book of Revelation gets its name from its “revelation” of what God was soon to do; its uncovering of secret things delivered as a series of visions given by an angel to St. John. It was a time of persecution for the Church, and as a result of the persecutions John had been exiled to … Read more

“This is but the beginning of the birth pangs” (Mk. 13:8).

No man should speak too lightly about birth pangs.  None of us really knows what we’re talking about, do we? I think it is indisputable that we’re not on our own turf here. My mother was not shy in telling me how many hours she had been in labor before I was delivered. She was the expert on the subject of my coming into … Read more