remcmahan

Advent 2024: Notice

Advent Day 11, December 11, 2024 I am currently walking with a group through the book, The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus’ Birth, by theologians Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. It definitely isn’t Christmas Hallmark movie reading. Yet in spite of its scholarly depths, the authors make some intriguing observationsContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Notice”

Advent 2024: Waiting with Birds

(Photo courtesy of (c) Turner Matthews, Decatur, Alabama, USA) Advent Day 10, December 10, 2024 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 Some two thousand years ago, in a politicalContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Waiting with Birds”

Advent 2024: The Lynching of Robert Mosley

(Image of Robert Mosley painted with red clay from the soil of Madison County, Alabama, United States) Advent Day Nine, December 9, 2024 This past Saturday, I attended a sobering and unusual event: the dedication of the first memorial marker for the ten lynching victims in my home county alone, the last lynching in myContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: The Lynching of Robert Mosley”

Advent 2024: Week Two

Advent Day Eight, December 8, 2024 Here we are already, a week into this journey of waiting as one in this season of darkening days, waiting for the winter solstice, waiting for Christmas, waiting for Hannukah, waiting for a new year to begin, waiting to see what life will be like in 2025, waiting toContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Week Two”

Advent 2024: Love and Light

Advent Day 7, December 7, 2024 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1: 3-4) You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. (1ContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Love and Light”

Advent 2024: Harmony

(Photo credit T. Brett McMahan) Eastern Europe Advent Day Six, December 6, 2024 Definition of harmony from the Cambridge Dictionary: (1) a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at the same time. (2) A situation in which people are peaceful and agree with each other, or when things seem right or suitable together.ContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Harmony”

Advent 2024: Look

St. Naum at Monastery of St. Naum, Macedonia, (c) T. Brett McMahan Advent Day 5, December 5, 2024 You Reading This, Be Ready ~ by William Stafford Starting here, what do you want to remember?How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?What scent of old wood hovers, what softenedsound from outside fills the air? Will youContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Look”

Advent 2024: Silence

Advent Day 4, December 4, 2024 Lo, in the silent nightA child to God is bornAnd all is brought againThat ere was lost or lorn. Could but thy soul, O man,Become a silent night!God would be born in theeAnd set all things aright. Whoever wrote this 15th century verse knew a truth about the giftContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Silence”

Advent 2024: Waiting as One

Advent Day 3: December 3, 2024 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3: 8) A funny thing happened to me at church this past Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent. As IContinueContinue reading “Advent 2024: Waiting as One”

The Waiting: A Poem of Advent

Advent Day 2: December 2, 2024 The Waiting ~ A Poem of Advent “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Do not fear. I will help you.'” (Isaiah 41:13) O, Isaiah, ancient prophet of doom, prophet of ancient hope,your proclamations resound like cymbalsjarring this stillContinueContinue reading “The Waiting: A Poem of Advent”