Irreverently Reverend

  Blue Christmas/Longest Night (last week of Advent) We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains up until now.   And it’s not only the creation. We ourselves who have the Spirit as the first crop of the harvest also groan inside as we wait to be adopted and for our bodies to be set free.   We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see?   But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans.   The one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because he pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will. (CEB)             One of my favorite book series is The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper.   It’s been on my mind this week because the BBC...

  Second Sunday of Lent The Lord is my light and my salvation;     whom shall I fear? / The Lord is the stronghold of my life;     of whom shall I be afraid? 2  When evildoers assail me     to devour my flesh— / my adversaries and foes—     they shall stumble and fall. 3  Though an army encamp against me,     my heart shall not fear; / though war rise up against me,     yet I will be confident. 4  One thing I asked of the Lord,     that will I seek after: / to live in the house of the Lord     all the days of my life, / to behold the beauty of the Lord,     and to inquire in his temple. 5  For he will hide me in his shelter     in the day of trouble; / he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;  ...

  Second Sunday of Christmas In the beginning was the Word    and the Word was with God    and the Word was God.    The Word was with God in the beginning.    Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word  nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. A man named John was sent from God.  He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light.  He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light. The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. The light was in the world,  and the world came into being through the light,  but the world didn’t recognize the light. The light came to his own people,...