First Sunday after Christmas (Year C, RCL)

No one and nothing escapes Psalm 148’s exhortation.

Twelve years into this parenting gig, Mary knows there’s not much she can do to keep her son safe.

Simeon and Anna echo the worship material of ancient Israel.

I probably shouldn’t treat my own son like he’s the Messiah. Imagine the pressure.

We may feel compassion in our guts, but we learn it by practicing empathic solidarity.

There’s a lot of a certain sort of pleasure pursued around Christmas.

Why am I so skeptical about sitting and learning at the feet of others?

He faces it.

God called all of them good. Humans are rapidly destroying them.

The psalmist puts out a clarion call.

I have some sympathy for Mary and Joseph.

The beloved song can contain God’s glory no more than the scripture it’s based on.

Jesus flips the script on his parents.

On a shelf in our church library you can find a “Reading Guide” made by a fourth grader. It lists the types of books appropriate for different age groups and advises: “Remember--Kids (8-12) when you start the Bible, go at your own pace. It's a long book!”