Christmas is, after all, about giving birth. And childbirth is raw and painful, bloody and messy.
Pain
Good Things
According to my brother-in-law, the Rev. David Handy, "Traditionally, since ancient times, in liturgical churches (Lutheran and Anglican, as well as Catholic and Eastern Orthodox), the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered the greatest of all the saints, bar none. Greater than Francis of Assisi in the 13th century, or St. Benedict (founder of the Benedictine … Continue reading Good Things
Pain and Hope
How does one accept the reality of pain and disappointment without losing hope? How do we surrender and face reality and yet not give up? How do we trust that God might never answer our prayer the way we want it and yet still keep asking for a miracle? How does one continue to experience loss and yet … Continue reading Pain and Hope
Deeper than Hell
I pray that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of God's love]. Ephesians 3:18 Finally, we come to the depth of God's love. God's Love is also deeper than Hell. One of the most gripping scenes in the Lord of the Rings is when Gandalf … Continue reading Deeper than Hell