Whether God exists is a fundamental question in life and one we often seek to answer personally and in conversations with those we know and love. Many people find objective evidence of God’s existence in what’s been called “The 3 Cs”: cosmos, consciousness and conscience.
With searing images of mob violence at the U.S. Capitol fresh in memory, Joe Biden comes to the presidency as a potential healer of divisions and binder up of wounds. Yet his own prior commitments could prevent him from succeeding in those roles.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Hearing those few words, the two brothers Simon and Andrew immediately leave their nets and follow Jesus. Then Jesus calls another set of brothers, and James and John also follow him. Just like that, these four men begin on the “way.”
The pandemic has turned our world upside down. Sometimes it feels like we are athletic shoes being tossed around in the clothes dryer, rather disoriented and out of control. Our normal life and routines have been completely disrupted. During moments of great turmoil or change, we often ask about the meaning of life.
Will a one-digit change — from 0 to 1 — provide the magical pivot point to a better year? Hope springs eternal, but we also know that like so many New Years past (none of which were preceded by 2020), our aspirations for 2021 will meet stiff resistance in the weeks ahead.
When Violet Jessop set out to be a maritime stewardess, she wasn’t driven by some starry-eyed desire to see the world. She was moved by necessity.
If ever there was a time the whole world was ready for a new year, this is it. Collectively, we replace the old calendar with a new one and exhale a sigh of relief. Just a small one. We inhale hope. But it’s a guarded breath. No one really believes that changing the date from 2020 to 2021 will right all that’s wrong. No one really believes that hope springs from the crisp page of a new year yet uncluttered with the jottings of our days. Everyone agrees we are a weary world in need of a fresh infusion of hope.
Each year, on the Sunday following Christmas, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Our Gospel reading this year from Luke presents us with a fascinating window into their actual family life. Here, we catch a glimpse of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem:
It was a long workday, well past the usual eight-hour mark. The chicken I got out of the freezer earlier was still frozen solid, so we ordered Thai delivery.
God’s authority and spiritual warfare
Repeatedly throughout the Gospels, those who hear Jesus are struck by a stark difference between his message and those of other contemporary religious authorities. The words typically used to describe the Lord’s message are power and authority. Unlike others in the world, Christ’s preaching and message has power to move mountains and heal hearts, authority to command, commend, save, transform and transfigure. Jesus has this power and authority because he is the Author, he is God. All of history is really his story, and it is in his creative Word that we live and move and have our being. Without Christ, we can do nothing. His power is the literal omnipotence of God, and his word bears the mark of authority because it is none other than the eternal Word of God.