Some of my favorite TV programs begin with the end and then spend the entire episode explaining how they arrived there. Joy to the World is that kind of hymn. It was written by Isaac Watts to celebrate the second coming of Christ basing it on Psalm 98. But the hymn has been sung by the church as a Christmas song for over 200 years. You see, Christmas is about Christ's first and second coming. We typically call this the advent season,...

  Greetings from the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany (Iglesia de la Epifania) in Miami Lakes during this holiday season. This year our Season of Peace and Joy is clouded by acts of terrorism in Paris and around the world.  As we see reports of violence almost every morning on the TV, our own neighborhoods don’t seem to be safe. Yet into this difficult time we bring our message of joy as we celebrate the birth of the Prince...

  I remember as a small child asking my parents if I could have my Christmas present early – then on Christmas morning I would act surprised. To their credit, my folks withstood my sure and certain pressure with the words, ‘No, we’ll wait until Christmas is here!’  I’m guessing I sulked a bit – but my parents didn’t give in. Let me say right upfront...Advent is my most cherished season of...

  The message of Christmas is too often drowned out by the noise of the world.  Even amongst those who still celebrate the religious meaning of the holiday, the hectic pace of the season often overshadows the beauty of the event being commemorated. More than two millennia ago, in a quiet hamlet of Palestine, something occurred which is nearly impossible to describe in human words. The eternal Son and Word of God, who shares what it...

  At Christmastime we forget that we are celebrating the birth of One who was One with God. The One who decided with God to descend to earth by leaving behind His rightful throne at the right hand of the Father and become fully-human and fully-dependent on the King for all matters, while on earth. This was not an idea that just sprung up.  This whole plan was Created thousands of years before the birth of Jesus and was being shared...