In a world where wars, turbulence and insecurity rage in numerous locales, the Advent season is a time of stillness and contemplation, of silence and the hope for new birth. "For those in the ...

As part of Simple Advent, Abundant Life, we invited young people to share how they strive to live simply on the earth as a sign of hope that restoration is possible. Today's reflection comes from ...

On a crisp December morning in Rome, a group of women gathered not for their usual Bible study but to bring Christmas gifts to a homeless shelter run by the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded ...

“Part of why we observe Advent,” writes Episcopal priest Tish Harrison Warren, “is to make Christmas weird again, to allow the shock of the incarnation to take us aback once more.” Advent (from a ...

For Christians, the season of Advent, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, is the season of hope and anticipation. It is a glorious time, one seemingly at odds with the calendar itself because it ...

While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart. – Francis of Assisi "BETHLEHEM Candle" is the second purple candle during the second week of Advent ...

When we focus on survival, life becomes pretty straightforward. Food, water, shelter, health, and hopefully the warm embrace of a loved one. That's what we truly need. If we are blessed to have all ...

December 15, 2024, is the third Sunday of Advent, known in many Christian traditions as Gaudete Sunday. The name stems from the Latin Vulgate translation of Philippians 4:4: Gaudete in Domino semper.

Sitting in the dark helps us truly appreciate the light. As a child growing up in the Reformed Episcopal Church, the first day of Advent was lovely yet a little strange. At the evening church service, ...

It’s fair to say many Americans are not feeling too hopeful right now, though it must be acknowledged that roughly the same percentage feels otherwise. The views and opinions expressed in this ...

Advent calendars have become big business in the U.S. these days. Shoppers can easily spend upwards of $200 for calendars with samples of makeup and skincare products, or even gourmet cooking ...