Daily Word of Grace (December 16, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 197 (December 16, 2020) Near the beginning of his Letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul is effusive about the innumerable blessings God has given us in Jesus Christ: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us...

Daily Word of Grace (December 15, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 196 (December 15, 2020) Two of the central themes of our lives (and of almost every great novel, poem, song and play) are love and death.  Along these lines, a particularly moving song from the Broadway musical smash Hamilton is “Wait for It” in...

Daily Word of Grace (December 14, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 195 (December 14, 2020) I have always been a fan of Simon and Garfunkel, whose albums made many a rotation on my parents’ record player when I was very young.  Their 1968 album Bookends has a poignant and beautiful song called “America” about a...

Daily Word of Grace (December 11, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 194 (December 11, 2020) Several years ago I visited the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.  Hank Williams (1923–1953) was undoubtedly one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 20th century.  His hits like “Move It On Over”,...

Daily Word of Grace (December 10, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 193 (December 10, 2020) In his 1990 book The Ragamuffin Gospel the late preacher and writer Brennan Manning tells a story about a Catholic woman who had been having visions of Jesus.  The local bishop was skeptical, and decided to meet with her. ...

Daily Word of Grace (December 9, 2020)

Daily Word of Grace # 192 (December 9, 2020) Many people are restless—restless about their health or their job or their relationships or their life trajectory.  You may be restless at this very moment.  If so, you are in good company.  Perhaps the most influential...