As Christians around the world are beginning to hear the story of modern-day-Bethlehem, I believe Bethlehem will become an important symbol of injustice, emboldening thousands of Christians to take action. The story of the Nativity and the current socio-political realities are merging together in a flourishing of art and story-telling.
INTERVIEW: Josh Garrels talks about The Light Came Down
Last week, I sat down with Josh Garrels to talk about his new Christmas album. we talked about the melancholy and darkness this time of year and what the Incarnation means to him on a personal level. He also had some exciting news to announce! Here is some of our conversation. Listen here: Buy the album here […]
Mary’s Radical Song of Mercy
For all the stories we tell about Mary, we usually miss one of her most important contributions to the Christmas story: her song in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel. Mary’s song (or her “Magnificat”) was the first theological reflection on Christ in the New Testament. But we barely hear about it. I have only […]
Giving from your Abundance this Christmas
Though the Christmas Season is filled with busy shopping, parties and celebrations, it is also the season where our heart strings are tugged and we feel the need to be compassionate to those less fortunate
Christmas isn’t just about family and togetherness, thank God
The paper glimmered, the race to the tree thrilled, the anticipation built. Then, it was over. A strange sensation of dissatisfaction crawled in. Guilt tip-toed behind disappointment. For many, Christmas is either spent sitting among tons of stuff that will only temporarily satisfy — or catching the hint of sadness in their mom’s eyes because she couldn’t afford every single […]
Why Advent gives meaning to our waiting
When I was a kid, each Christmas Eve at my house replayed the same scenario. After the candlelight service at church and the annual viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, my older brother and I would pitch camp on his bunk bed and stay awake as long as our sleepy eyes would let us. Our […]
It’s that time of year: a playlist
Christmas music. It’s everywhere. Pop and Christian radio stations dedicate an entire month to playing nothing but festive tunes, and stores are filled with the sound. It’s not exactly my favourite thing, since the ratio of good-to-bad Christmas songs is wildly tipped to the ugly side, but there are some gems to be mined out […]
Poverty still exists in the summer
After six years of working with folks in poverty, I am getting tired of the Christmas spirit. I’m tired of gently communicating to donors who get offended when I won’t let them volunteer for an hour in December unless they are willing to volunteer the rest of the year. Or who get mad at me […]
Poverty yells louder in the winter
In the summertime, kids run around in the sun, giggling. No one notices if they wear the same pair of shorts every day. They meet the other kids in the townhouse complex and they play until dark. They frolic and shriek through sprinklers on the lawn. The cold water in the apartment doesn’t seem all […]
Waiting, always waiting
December, or my life for that matter, has turned into one big waiting game. I laugh at the irony of how this frustration and anxiety that accompanies waiting fits perfectly within the season of Advent. Waiting. Watching. Hoping. I wait for phone calls from potential employers as I begin to embrace my looming status of […]