O HEAR THE ANGEL VOICES

Every December we receive a few Christmas letters from some of our clergy colleagues. This week I received a few of these letters that were tucked inside Christmas cards. Two featured Renaissance paintings of the Annunciation in which Mary and the Angel Gabriel are face-to-face as if in a conversation. Another card featured a painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner – the first African-American artist to attain international fame— that was quite different. Mary is sitting ...

WAITING AND WATCHING

Ever since our son Robert was hit in a crosswalk by a car that failed to stop for the
flashing pedestrian crossing signal, I have been especially cautious at intersections. Not just when driving but especially when on foot. I pay a lot of attention to the traffic light’s orange hand raised in a gesture that tells me “wait.”

Waiting is everywhere, however, and not just at traffic lights. There’s a waiting room at the doctor’s ...

NOVEMBER’S QUIET PROMISE

Once our Thanksgiving’s celebrations come to an end, most of us turn the page on November.
All eyes focus on December. While we’re still eating leftover turkey sandwiches, outdoor holiday lights are being strung on rooftops. Brightly lit trees are popping up in every window. Crews are busily erecting Menorahs and Nativity scenes on public squares and congregational or synagogue lawns.
Most of us are eager to immerse ourselves in December’s festivities. We’re glad to ...