The Eve of the New Year is upon us and so I thought it a good moment to lift up one of this week’s lectionary readings from the Wisdom tradition. Sirach (sometimes called the Wisdom of Ben Sira or Ecclesiasticus) is a collection of sayings, similar to Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, full of advice for sound living. And what does Wisdom have to …
Joy and All Good Things
Merry Christmas to you all! I hope for you a long string of days of rest and beauty. And I invite anyone in town to join us Sunday, especially if you are one, like me, who can feel a little low on the 26th wondering what to do with all the longing and desire you got in touch with over Advent. We have been waiting in the darkness just before dawn for the past four weeks and now on Christmas Eve we slip into another liturgical moment as we are invited to ‘taste and see the goodness of God.’
Thankfully we have twelve holy days and twelve starry nights to grasp this mystery of the incarnation– God dwelling among us. It is a powerful moment which reminds us that it is good to be human, good to live on this earth, and good to have a body
Alternative gifts
Art Conspiracy was fantastic. Congratulations to Sarah Jane and all her co-conspirators. There was a strong CitC presence at the event, which felt good. Thanks for the opportunity to contribute, SJ. A couple of weeks ago, Courtney shared Advent Conspiracy as an alternative to rampant consumerism. This week, I have a couple of ideas in that vein. First, Changing the …
Claiming the promise
I’m listening to Christmas music as I write, trying to get in the spirit. Some of this stuff is awful. It’s trite and saccharin-sweet. When someone does try a fresh take, it usually goes horribly awry. (“Deck the Halls” on pan flute, anyone? A punk rock “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear?” No.) I have Sufjan Stevens (because I’m cool …
Art Conspiracy
What started off as a “one time only” fundraiser has become one of the most anticipated annual art events in Dallas. On Saturday, December 12, starting at 7:00 p.m., Art Conspiracy will mark its fifth year of bringing artists and musicians together to “conspire” for good causes.
Art Conspiracy Details:
Date: 7:00 p.m., Saturday, December 12
Location: 511 W. Commerce, Dallas, TX 75208
Participants: 150 Dallas Artists, 4 Bands
Admission: $10
Benefiting: Resolana
Bear the Fruit
So I’m falling in love with John the Baptizer this Advent season. His message seems as severe and wild as the desert he inhabits. I am hungry for a tradition that asks something of me as a practitioner-and I join in with the crowds, with the tax collector, with the soldiers asking ‘what then should I do?’
And the baptizer delivers. He demands radical re-orientation, metanoia, and a rupture in the routine of everyday life.
Secret Doors
This week we encounter the Advent mantra, ‘Prepare the Way of the Lord,’ in Luke’s gospel. What does it mean to prepare the way for God’s fuller movement into and through our lives? Frequently I feel that I am wading in words, ideas, and emotions when I really long to be swimming in the Mystery. Yet I am …