On the third Sunday in Advent, Rev. Cari brought preaching focus to the truths spoken by John the Baptist in Luke 3:7-18. First thing she did was to translate the Hebrew word at the root of the concept of the “wrath of God” – which is a word that means snort! God’s snorting anger at injustice.

She framed this prophetic utterance by introducing a concept from Victorian theologian, Rudolph Otto – the difference between the mysterium tremendum (the holy otherness of God that makes us draw back) and the mysterium fascinans (the sense of God inviting us to lean in to something beautiful, life-giving and good).

Justice and joy, the dream of God for all the world.