This is the first in a series of reflections based upon a seasonal hymn, the collect of the day, and the ancient Western Sunday lectionary, as reflected in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Come, thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free; From our fear and sins release us, Let us find our…
Lo! he comes, with clouds descending, Once for our salvation slain; Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of his train: Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ, the Lord, returns to reign. “Mark my words,” is the theme of this Sunday’s collect. Yet do we truly mark our Lord’s words? Hearing the Second Coming, the Judgment, and…
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh; awake and hearken, for he brings glad tidings of the King of kings. Advent is a season of preparation. Oftentimes, we see it as a time of preparing the People of God for His return. However, we are called to always be…
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. O come, thou Wisdom from on high, who orderest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. “Emmanuel…Wisdom” The dark days are over. Despite…
Christ is born! Behold the Almighty Lord God in such a tender and fragile package. He is presented to us as a gift who is in need of one of His image-bearers to swaddle, feed, and tend to His every need. Peer over the manger and glimpse God enfleshed opening His eyes upon the world…
Merry Christmas! Yes, you heard me correctly: Merry Christmas! Christmastide has just begun, and the Christmas feast continues through Epiphany. The world does not understand salutations of “Merry Christmas” after December 25—much less keeping up the decorations—as the nations have fallen back into the dark bleakness of midwinter. Meanwhile, the Church rejoices, for Christ is…
Joy to the world! the Lord is come: Let earth receive her King; Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n, and heaven and nature sing. This is the season of Joy. The season continues in such a manner that it embarrasses both the world…
As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold; as with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright; so, most gracious God, may we evermore be led to Thee. The First Sunday after the Epiphany comes in powerfully. St. Paul’s epistle grabs us by the collar and makes frank that which…
Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise, Manifested by the star To the sages from afar; Branch of royal David’s stem In Thy birth at Bethlehem; Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in Man made manifest. In today’s Gospel reading, the Living God visits a wedding (John 2:1-11). The traditional Western…
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed, great David’s greater Son! Hail, in the time appointed, his reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free; to take away transgression, and rule in equity. Oppressed by sin, captive to the devil, and confounded by the world’s deceits is how we are born…