Category: Community
The Peace and Violence of Christmas
At church this Christmas Eve, we read one of my favorite passages. Isaiah 11:1-10 begins by prophesying the coming of the Messiah, the Rod of Jesse, and it ends with that unsurpassable vision o... Read More
Compassion: Not Just For Saints Any More
Compassion is an emotion—a response to the suffering of others and an accompanying desire to eliminate or minimize such suffering, or, at least, to make it more bearable. Compassion is hard, but bei... Read More
This Holiday Season, Let’s Give the Gift of Being Present
Originally published on TIME.com Our society teaches us to express our love by giving presents. This reality rings especially true during this time of year. The National Retail Federation expects U.S.... Read More
Marching as an Advent practice
Recently I traveled with a group from Christian Theological Seminary to Washington D.C. to join in the “Justice for All” march. It was truly inspiring to witness so many people from so many walks ... Read More
Let The Holidays Land Gently: An Open Letter to Those Struggling Through the Season
“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.” —Hāfez of Shiraz This time of year, I often see messages and social media posts h... Read More
#WeCantBreathe and Advent
On Sunday, December 7, there was a message preached at the Memorial Church of Harvard University. It was an urgent and powerful call, and it affected each person who walked out of that morning worship... Read More
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Advent and Waiting, Part 2
We are immersed in Advent now – most American Christians have trees strung with lights, bedecked with baubles and handmade ornaments, and perhaps even an early wrapped present or two hiding beneath ... Read More
How Doctors Talk: Medicine and the Misuse of Language
I am finishing my residency training at a large urban hospital in Boston. We sit miles away from some of the best research institutions in the world, and also amongst the most disenfranchised in the c... Read More