on the Pilgrimage

Merry Christmas - Unto us a Son is given, unto us a Saviour is born. God moved into the neighbourhood! O come, let us rejoice in the Lord as we declare this present mystery: The partition wall of disunion has been destroyed, the flaming sword is turned back, the cherubim withdraw from the Tree of Life, and I partake of the food of Paradise, whence I had been expelled because of disobedience. For the immutable Image of the Father, the Image of His eternity, takes the form of a servant, having come forth of a Mother unwedded, yet having suffered no change. For that which He was, He remains, being very God; and that which He was not, He has assumed, becoming true man because of His love for humankind. Unto Him let us cry aloud: O God, who was born of a Virgin, have mercy upon us! (Vespers Sticharion,Tone 2) AN URBAN CHRISTMAS By Bill Senyard The “Land of the Free”?? He wondered what that meant. The Department of Homeland Security was becoming more and more powerful. No one was real...

I feel compelled to share part of my personal journal reflection on the coming season. It is not uncommon for His Spirit to come upon me as I journal, and an illumination from beyond me occurs. I was pondering the exposure that Christ has been receiving in our Western culture over the last few years, and seems to be building. This included things like The Passion of the Christ (and the controversy surrounding that), The DaVinci Code (and the controversy surrounding that), and The Nativity Story (sans controversy ... and publicity). I was reflecting on past messages I have heard and readings I have read. I was meditating on the idea of 'story', of the narrative, of ‘The Christmas Story’ - and wondering: is it isolated? or is there possibly more than meets the eye? From my journal ... Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006 Here we are again, the first Sunday in Advent. To prepare ... prepare what? for what do I prepare? To make ready ... what should I make ready? To anticipate ... wha...