Although shepherding was considered an honorable profession in ancient Israel, that view had changed drastically by Christ's time. Once nomads who herded their flocks from place to place, they soon forgot themselves as they settled into a comfortable life in Egypt. Egyptians were farmers; with shepherds came herds of sheep and goats that munched on… Continue reading The Insiders
When I was a little girl, I loved looking through our Christmas cards every day. They piled up on the dining room table until they reached critical mass, and then dad would string them on either side of the archway between the living room and dining room. The Jesus cards were the best. I liked… Continue reading A Hallmark Gospel
Years ago, my husband and I lived in an urban community alongside some of the poorest and most marginalized people in this country. We were working with the Salvation Army, so December was always our busiest month. After six weeks of manning the red kettles, delivering food and toys, Christmas caroling in city streets and… Continue reading Unforgettable
Before I spill my morning musings, I want to direct you to a couple of friends. Robin Hagen over at Ordinary Holy has posted this rich reflection on John the Baptist's stark remark regarding Jesus: He must increase, but I must decrease. I've read it and will probably re-read it a few times because there is so much… Continue reading Child for Life
Today a few words from Dietrich Bonhoeffer set me on a contemplative path; I'm thinking about silence. Not the silence that equals no sound, but that interior silence where we can hear ourselves think and discern the still, small voice of God whispering in the depths of our heart. As determined as I was to… Continue reading Silence
This morning I read and re-read the account of Gabriel's dealings with Zechariah in the first chapter of the gospel of Luke and decide history has been too hard on him. By all accounts, he was an upstanding, righteous man. Both he and his wife, Elizabeth, loved God and obeyed God's law. But they suffered… Continue reading Doubt
For several days, I have been chewing on a passage from Richar Rohr's book Preparing for Christmas: Daily Meditations for Advent about my favorite topic, the kingdom of God. His words pierce and convict, so there is no need to add my own paler reflections, except to say this - the kingdom of God was the central… Continue reading The Kingdom
I didn't give much thought to Mary when I was a child, for obvious reasons. Being the Savior of the world's mother gave her a place at the manger, but then she faded quickly into the background. All I knew was that an angel visited her - not that shocking to me since children expect… Continue reading The Radical Yes
We have become so accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God's coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God's coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect, that the… Continue reading Shaken
I learned about the power of darkness on a family trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky many years ago. After what seems a long descent into the earth's bowels, albeit hemmed in by guardrails and safely lit, we reach an enormous cavern. The air is cold; the view is stunning until the park… Continue reading Waiting in the Dark
Paper Thin Places 
You must be logged in to post a comment.