Veni, the imperative form of the Latin verb venire, to come, figures high up in the poetic texts of Advent hymns. For that matter, it lies at the root of the word Advent itself! Most striking of such hymns are these three: Veni Redemptor gentium … Read more
The decade our family spent on a ranch in North Central Texas remains a highlight of our lives. The intense, valuable education we received was not just about raising livestock (goats, cows, horses), but about partaking in the tender, joyful community life of a real … Read more
Since the first phalanx of holiday bakers will attack the stove this weekend, we’d better have a conversation about fruitcake. Fruitcake, according to what I read, is making a comeback among Americans who never experienced it growing up. The key words here are “never experienced … Read more
A few weeks ago, the headlines began screaming: Will Christmas be on the Shelves in 2021? My mother would not have understood this question. People certainly went Christmas-shopping in her generation, and with enthusiasm: the stores were beautifully decorated; the show windows breathtaking. Everything looked … Read more
When living in Oregon during the eruption of Mount St. Helens in May 1980, I received with skepticism the predictions that shoots of green would sprout through the ash by the following spring. How could that be? Plumes of volcanic dust had been so pervasive; … Read more
The color violet made its appearance yesterday in many Christian churches. Of all the colors of the church year, violet stands as the second or third most prominent, appearing during Lent and Holy Week as well as during the 22 to 27 days of Advent … Read more
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. We light the first of four candles and think ahead to the first week of a liturgical season much of the world ignores. The word “first” generally has happy connotations: baby’s first step, the first child to graduate … Read more
It is Christmas Eve. The Advent Season and this calendar now come to a close. Many things tonight will not occur as they ought. Who ever could have envisioned a year in which the divine services for Easter, Advent, and Christmas would be snatched away? … Read more
Just four gentle notes and we find ourselves walking towards a snow-covered chapel nestled in a snowy Austrian forest. We open the wooden doors and are drawn across old planks towards a simple altar, graced with candles and boughs of fragrant pines. In the air … Read more
We’re entering “Fill-up the Fridge” season. Everything from mandarin oranges and heavy cream to smoked ham and extra-special cheeses is wending its way into our iceboxes and onto our pantries. For those following an Advent fast, the return of these items builds extra excitement. Today … Read more
