John’s call in the wilderness is the T-shirt, the Tweet, the slogan for Advent, all distilled into one word: Prepare. John knows that the presence of Jesus is a tectonic shift...

Some years ago, I found myself slipping into a long depressive time. Rationally, I had a wonderful life—a wise and witty husband, beautiful child, interesting work, kind friends. Still, the gloom...

Zechariah finally gets to speak! For months, he has been living in enforced silence, left to brood after he doubts the news that his wife, Elizabeth, is having a baby. In...

There’s always a vendetta, and sometimes a romance, on a silent retreat. So says spiritual teacher Daniel Thorson. And all the drama happens completely in people’s minds as they go through...

Some years ago on his birthday, writer Ross Gay challenged himself to find something delightful each day during the year. He eventually compiled his findings in The Book of Delights, sharing...

The jacket I wore to my mother’s funeral is still in my closet. I have never been able to bring myself to wear it again. Whenever I reach for it, the...

The readings this week bring us to the first Sunday of Advent, the first day in the Christian year. We have seen how the texts address the question, “Are things going...

Yesterday we looked at Paul’s intercession for the Thessalonians, praying for their love for each other to increase. Paul recognized that this increase would spill over onto others. That’s one of...

Winding their way through the readings this week are the virtues of faith, hope, and love. They intertwine in our conviction that we are living in a time of awakening—a time...

Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Sixteen other countries have a similar holiday sometime during the year. As a human family, the instinct to give thanks runs deep....