The Fourth Week of Advent is very short this year, just three days plus the Vigil of Christmas; yet the Fourth Sunday of Advent takes us a very significant step further in our journey. The liturgy of this Sunday builds on the insights of the previous weeks in the wilderness, and exemplifies those in the intimacy of the Annunciation to Mary [Lk 1]. – Read the rest
The gospel passage for the Third Sunday of Advent is from the fourth gospel. Here again we are in the wilderness with John the Baptist, but now our attention shifts from the Second Sunday’s focus on the Baptist’s prophetic message, to this Sunday’s captivation with the identity of the messenger and his mission: “Who are you?” and “Why then are you (doing what you do)?” These questions resemble the challenge to Elijah at Horeb: “What are you doing here?” [I Kg 19:1, 13]. – Read the rest
The Second and Third Sundays of Advent urge us to spend time in the “wilderness,” attentive to the wisdom of John the Baptist. On both Sundays, Second Isaiah, a prophet of the Babylonian exile, speaks again, now in the Gospel passages, shaping the essential message of each. – Read the rest
Every year, whether in cycle A with Matthew, or cycle B with Mark, or cycle C with Luke, the Gospel of the First Sunday of Advent does everything in its power to grab our attention – “Wake up! Be alert! Be ready! Be aware! Keep awake! Be on your guard! – Read the rest
An Interfaith prayer initiated by the Inter-Religious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI) was held on Thursday evening, Oct. 29th at the Museum of the Seam in Jerusalem. The evening was moderated by Dr. – Read the rest
