The Good Word

There is no getting around it if you grew up as a Protestant or an Anabaptist Mary is often a confusing figure Not I would say an essentially divisive figure not a troubling figure but confusing The confusion stems from how to accept Mary There is a sense that Roman Catholics say too much a

There was nothing so vulnerable in the ancient world as the life of a child The same is true in many ways even today a child s life is dependent upon those who will care for that child before the child can even know faith or trust her life is in the hands of others Yet other vulnerabilities

Editorial director Karen Sue Smith reflects on the importance of slowing down during the Christmas season Tim Reidy

Mark s Gospel has been called The Gospel that tells of Jesus who announced the Kingdom of God Certainly the Gospel does tell that story It emphasizes at least for awhile the wondrous deeds of Jesus These are miracles that seem only possible if God does them indeed the conscious hist

Mark 16 9-20 are inspired by God inerrant and canonical just as is the rest of the Gospel of Mark Most scholars believe however that someone other than Mark wrote these verses they argue that the style and vocabulary of Mark 1 1 16 8 shows an author different from the one who has hi

Pardon my lord I am the woman who stood near you praying to the Lord I prayed for this child And the Lord granted my request Now I in turn give him to the Lord As long as he lives he shall be dedicated to the Lord

Hark My lover here he comes Running to me across the mountains Across the hills My lover speaks he says to me Arise my beloved my beautiful one and come Let me see you Hear your voice For your voice is sweet And you are lovely

The virgin will be with child and bear a son and she shall name him Immanuel which means God is with us Isaiah 7 10-14 God with us Who can believe it Such love and concern for me in my world Can I

Mark 16 9-20 are inspired by God inerrant and canonical just as is the rest of the Gospel of Mark Most scholars believe however that someone other than Mark wrote these verses they argue that the style and vocabulary of Mark 1 1 16 8 shows an author different from the one who has hi

Fr Peter Schineller associate editor at America draws on the wisdom of Mesier Eckhart Origen and St Francis in this reflection for the fourth week of Advent