Dec 25, 2022
The Man from Nazareth: The birth of Jesus was accompanied by the murder of innocent Jewish children and a return from Egypt, fulfilling a prophecy that once applied to Moses: "Out of Egypt I have called my Son." However, the family must soon flee once again, fulfilling all the prophecies of the Messiah. Jesus will be...
Dec 24, 2022
The Word became Flesh: The Prologue to the Gospel of John is among the most profound passages in the Bible. It tells of the pre-existent union of love between God and the Word, the Word's saving gifts of light and life, and our ambiguous response. But the Word is Jesus Christ who dwelt among us, showing us the wonderful...
Dec 20, 2022
Swaddling Clothes and a Manger on the Road: Luke's account of a birth of Jesus, as with the appearance of John the Baptist, is fixed in a given time and place. But it is surrounded by the symbols of swaddling clothes, only used for a king, a manger, from which Israel should be nourished, recognition by the simplest of...
Dec 13, 2022
Born of the Spirit, the Saviour and the Emmanuel: On this final Sunday of Advent we turn to the story of Jesus' birth; it contains a message full of wonderful promise. The puzzlement created by Mary's pregnancy is overcome by the angel's explanation because this child is “of the Spirit". Matthew's story of Jesus'...
Dec 7, 2022
Are you the one who is to come? From prison, John the Baptist asks an anxious question of Jesus: is he the one who is to come, or must we wait for another. Jesus responds by announcing that he is the fulfilment of the messianic prophecies. He then praises John the Baptist as the greatest figure to be born of a woman in...