Irreverently Reverend

Baptism of the Lord Sunday While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “ John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— 7 altogether there were about twelve of them. (NRSV)             I had a meeting Wednesday afternoon that ran rather long and I finally left the office thinking that would be the tensest part of my day.   I was qui...

 Advent I O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,     so that the mountains would quake at your presence— 2   as when fire kindles brushwood     and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries,     so that the nations might tremble at your presence! 3  When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,     you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. 4  From ages past no one has heard,     no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you,     who works for those who wait for him. 5  You meet those who gladly do right,     those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned;     because you hid yourself we transgressed. 6  We have all become like one who is unclean,     and all o...