I have to say, this very strange Easter when we cannot do the things we normally do, like gather together in a big crowd, we are experiencing a darkness that makes this very first Easter resonate so much more richly and deeply and profoundly for me.
The Shame of the Cross
The cross is one, if not the most central image of our Christian faith. We have it all over the church: in the Nave there is one behind the altar and on the baptismal font. If you go out into the church there are many more, both inside and outside. There are crosses on the wall, above one of the doors. Crosses are a central image for us. The logo of St. Mary’s is a cross, a stylized cross, but it is a cross. That is not unusual. Go to any church throughout this country, and most of them will be filled with crosses. It is a central image of our faith. It is an image or symbol of our identity as Christians.
Wise Men
It is 5:00 in the morning. The house is quiet and cold on this winter morning and you hear the rain outside falling on the pavement and the trees.
You have been startled awake by a vivid and very strange dream. You toss in your bed for a bit, but sleep eludes you and the dream haunts you. Perhaps by going over it in your mind, you’ll be able to go back to sleep.
God is with us
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we always hear of The Annunciation, that story of the angel coming to prepare the new parents for the coming of their child. When we use the phrase, The Annunciation, we usually refer to Mary’s Annunciation when the angel came to her. That is Luke’s story, but this year we are given Matthew’s story, which is a lesser known annunciation of the angel coming to Joseph.
