There was no Santa Claus at the flagship Macy’s store, no Rockettes dazzling audiences with sky-high kicks at Radio City Music Hall. Broadway stayed dark…
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Tag: Christmas
Images of Light: Christmas Services Penetrate Darkness Around the World
Christmas falls on one of the darkest days of the year, coming soon after winter solstice. This year, it also came during a dark time…
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Scenes From a Pandemic Holiday Road Trip
The roads were icy in Frostburg, Md. In Jolly, Texas, the mood was somber. Still, despite a season filled with challenges at every turn, by…
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Why Virtual Religious Services Aren’t Enough
When our congregation, Church of the Savior, moved to online services some nine months ago, our family tried to keep things normal. We had the…
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How the Virus Stole Christmas
Our attitude toward Christmas evolved, in America, into an all-out everything but the gifts. For most people, I suppose a gift exchange is the point.…
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For Christmas, Pastors Offer Comfort and Joy in a Somber Season
When the Rev. Timothy Cole learned he had Covid-19 in early March, it was the first known case of the virus in Washington. Mr. Cole,…
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The Forgotten Radicalism of Jesus Christ
Jesus must have understood that we human beings battle with exclusion, self-righteousness and arrogance, and have a quick trigger finger when it comes to judging…
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Dear Santa, Why Are You Behind Plexiglass?
Santa Claus is different this year. He wears a mask and his lap is mostly off limits. Outdoors he waves to boys and girls from…
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A Middle-Aged Christmas
Marching toward middle age is sequence of older-than moments, when you realize that you’ve passed some famous age that seemed impossibly distant as a child.…
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How New Yorkers Are Coping with Holidays Alone
On March 12, I took my last subway ride home from work. I was listening to John Cale’s “Dying on the Vine” while standing in…
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