The other week, I reflected on the Gospel reading in which Jesus expounds on what seems like a foretelling of a frightening future, but is really more a description of the human condition: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and … Continue reading Hope of the Nations: An Advent Reflection on Isaiah 2.1-5
When tasked with explaining how the Church year functions, I often use the metaphor of light. At Christmas, light comes into the world, light which shines brightly outward through the season of Epiphany, before we turn it inwards in Lent, after which point we are empowered to be our own lights throughout Pentecost. In this … Continue reading Waiting for God
Today is the end of the Western liturgical calendar, a day known as the Sunday of “Christ the King” or “Reign of Christ.” It’s a metaphor that doesn’t strongly resonate for many of us these days. It’s been a long time since any of us have really experienced ‘kingship’ in any meaningful way. Today I’d … Continue reading On Kings, Kingdoms, and Kingship: A Reflection for the Sunday of the Reign of Christ 2022
If you were hoping to come to today’s Gospel reading for words of hope and encouragement, you’ll likely go away disappointed, and maybe a little disturbed. For in today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about destruction, warfare, natural disasters, famine, plagues, and political persecution, in apocalyptic terms — Not exactly a cheering message in our time of … Continue reading A Truth for Apocalyptic Times: A Reflection on Luke 21.5-19
One of the common tropes in the Gospels is how different groups of people hostile to Jesus’ teaching would try to ensnare him in his words in order to discredit him, only to have Jesus escape the trap and carry the day. Sometimes, as for example with the ‘Render unto Caesar’ teaching (which directly precedes … Continue reading The God of Life: A Reflection on Luke 20.27-38
Matthew Root 