My husband John grew up on a farm that was on a lake, but he never learned to swim. He stayed very close to the shore if he were anywhere near water. In time, our son Donald was born. We decided to give him swimming lessons when he was old … Read more

Growing up in an Italian neighbourhood named Tacony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, during Christmastime was festive for a young boy. The Roman Catholic Church was steeped in customs, especially during the Advent season. These … Read more

Many years ago, I attended a church where the organist was deaf. Throughout the singing of the hymns, she would be actively tickling the keyboard while at the same time vigilantly watching the music conductor, through a mirror, in order … Read more

Last year while shopping at a local thrift store, I was surprised to find a Christmas Bible study book with the odd title, Christmas from the Back Side, written by J. Ellsworth Kalas, a professor who teaches where my son … Read more

It was a dry, windy day when I tilled my small vegetable garden plot. Upon completion of the tilling, I discovered that I was covered in dust. Even my eyeglass lenses were dust-covered. Looking at the world through dust-covered glasses, … Read more

Our gospel passage echoes the same words as the passage in Samuel: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour." God is the one who prepares for the future. From the beginning of time, … Read more

Samuel is a child of promise. His mother Hannah's prayer may be found at the end of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2, and explains why this simple story is told. Chapter 1 ends with Hannah saying: "For … Read more

The date on our calendar and our readings both tell us to prepare for God's future. The Old Testament reading does it by following the early life of Samuel, promised to God for future service. The New Testament reading does … Read more