Power. What a strange thing to be thinking about in the midst of Christmas shopping and holiday plans. But today’s lessons and prayers are about just that. Power. Today we ask for God’s power to come amongst us. We hear, in Luke, that John the Baptist’s power wasn’t enough. In Zephaniah we are told of…

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come!…. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,” proclaims John the Baptist in today’s gospel. And “Rejoice in the Lord…