[As I was preparing for my vacation, I wanted to write something today about John the Baptist, who takes centre stage in today's Gospel reading. As I read the passage, however, I was struck by its reference to Isaiah 40 and its complex message of both challenge and hope. And so, I thought I'd share … Continue reading A Voice in the Wilderness: An Advent Reflection on Isaiah 40 (Repost)
Advent is upon us once again. But, due to a somewhat spontaneous vacation and upcoming houseguests, this won't be a good season for me for writing. And so, I thought I'd share with you my collection of Advent series from previous years, in case any of them pique your interest to follow along with this … Continue reading Resources for Advent
Two weeks ago, we saw how Jesus tried to reign in his disciples’ apocalyptic ideas, warning them that wars, famines, and disasters will always be with us and so not to be taken in by them and the false prophets they always inspire. But today’s Gospel reading takes a rather different tack with similar ideas … Continue reading Signs of the Times, Redux: An Advent Reflection on Luke 21.25-36
Today marks the end of this series on the Sermon on the Mount. It seems fitting since tomorrow also marks the end of the Western Christian calendar. And what better time to conclude our reflections on Jesus’ teachings revealing the ways of the Kingdom of God than these final days before Advent, which is all … Continue reading Faith Is In the Living
As the Sermon on the Mount nears its end, Jesus returns to an idea that was prominent in the teaching of John the Baptist: that the true judge of what is good, true, beautiful, and holy in the world, is the impact it has on the world around it. Since it bears repeating, truth is … Continue reading The Tree and Its Fruit
Matthew Root 