The Christmas season is upon us — in the traditional Church calendar, Christmas began on Dec. 25 and ends at Epiphany on Jan. 6 (followed by the beginning of the Orthodox Christmas season Jan. 7). Regardless of when you believe Christmas begins and ends, the season is, at its best, a time of family, … Continue reading May Christmas transform our hearts and our society
Christmas
Advent: A time for spiritual housekeeping
There’s a lot of housekeeping this time of year. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, we spend a lot of time tidying up for the arrival of loved ones. But, there’s a different kind of cleaning that is called for this season, for a different kind of loved one. You see, despite the manic gift-shopping and decorating, … Continue reading Advent: A time for spiritual housekeeping
Holiday procrastination … Your gift to you
I had barely begun to emerge from my turkey, stuffing and pie stupor on Thanksgiving when I made a bewildering, and a little distressing, discovery. I am way behind on my Christmas preparations. Yes, I know, Santa was making the rounds before Halloween and Hobby Lobby had the Christmas decorations out around Independence Day. Still, … Continue reading Holiday procrastination … Your gift to you
The inward journey to Epiphany
If you follow the traditional church calendar you may recall today is the last day of Christmas, which also makes it Epiphany Eve. The Epiphany, often overlooked in the wake of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, is a holy day unto itself, and a festival day in many countries. Drawn from the Greek word epipháneia, … Continue reading The inward journey to Epiphany
Advent: Cleaning house with Mary
In the words of the old Bing Crosby song, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” No, this is not one of those grumpy War on Christmas columns. I love Christmas with all its trappings, though I do wish it were more about the spirit of giving and less about the price of the … Continue reading Advent: Cleaning house with Mary
Diwali, Light and Christian Love
Today marks the last day of Diwali, the five-day Hindu festival of light also celebrated by followers of the Jain and Sikh faith traditions. I must admit, my knowledge of Diwali is limited to a high school religion class a quarter century back and some online searches to refresh my memory. What I remember and … Continue reading Diwali, Light and Christian Love
James R. Neal 