"O Wisdom..."
advent antiphons 2019
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
-- . . .
prayerful waiting: the "O Antiphons" (2019)
The seven days of Advent leading up to Christmas Eve and the proper celebration of Christmas are sometimes called the "Golden Nights" and are marked with an additional set of prayers in the Vespers (Evening Prayer) service. These prayers are sometimes called the "O Antiphons" because of how they begin and mark a . . .
Trinity Sunday
a long creed confessing the once-delivered faith
This Sunday marks Trinity Sunday, the day in the church year specifically set aside to focus on the incomprehensible reality that marks the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--one God in three persons. Traditionally, as part of corporate worship on this Sunday, congregations recite the Athanasian Creed, a 6th or 7th century creed that . . .
An Ash Wednesday Homily
from worship with the 147th Attack Wing at Ellington Field
Everything we do today as part of our Ash Wednesday worship goes to a single purpose: reminding us of our mortality. The sight of the ashes we use, the smell of the ashes as you draw near to the altar, the grittiness we feel as they are applied to our foreheads, the words we hear as they are applied--all of this serves to remind us that we . . .
family bible reading plans
getting started with family worship and devotionals
Last week I wrote about establishing the practice of family worship and devotionals. There I encouraged the practice of daily scripture reading in our families. That suggestion begs the question of where to start? For those desiring to create the habit of daily bible reading, deciding where to begin and how to proceed can be . . .
on family worship and devotionals
creating a new habit in your home
One of the most important yet most difficult spiritual disciplines we have put into practice in our family is consistent time for family worship and devotions.
This practice is one of the most important because it is our calling and privilege as parents to pass along the faith to our children. Martin Luther understood this well . . .
on holy innocents: King Herod and Uncle Sam
Today the church remembers and honors the Holy Innocents: the male toddlers slaughtered by King Herod in his attempt to kill Jesus, the newborn king who threatened Herod politically (or so he thought) by his mere existence.
As recorded by St. Matthew:
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, . . .
