Good Morning Digital Neighbors!! Blessed Advent! More O Antiphon & Messianic goodness for this Friday morning! Root of Jesse – In short, it is a declaration of God's fidelity to His promises. Not a promise to make everything right in the here and now, but rather a promise to remember His covenant with King David about a future and faithful descendant to rule with justice and righteousness. Christians say that is Jesus; our Jewish brothers and sisters, not so much; and many more just treat the whole Jesus story as an interesting "meh." Your mileage may vary, but these days more seem to be wondering if faith in a Higher Power is a better path than blanket trust in pharmaceuticals and therapy for your wellness.

Following up on yesterday's thoughts about authority, one has to wonder about the nature of promises from anyone in authority. Most of us experience such promises as laughable. There is campaign season, when promises are made, and the rest of the time, when they are for the most part ignored or compromised. It is difficult not to be entirely doubtful and cynical about those in the political world—seeing them as nothing but manipulative liars incapable of even understanding their own hypocrisy. Ever a skeptic, never a cynic: I think that is the only way I can keep my sanity, along with lots of prayer and laughter to help insulate the mind and soul. I say this often—one ought to be mindful, but not consumed by concerns about the political world. Too many substitute political drama for religious devotion in their life. Personally, I think that is a terrible trade-off. It is hard to balance attentiveness that affords us some degree of preparedness while avoiding getting sucked into the mire of politics. Everything becomes politicized. And a humble reminder from our Elitist Overlords: they are calling the shots and you are taking them. Back in 2020 they really did call the shots, and too many took them. But surprises can happen, and to have a system that allows for that without tons of bullets and bloodshed is hopeful.

On a lighter note, I hope the people in your real life—the elbow people among you—are people of trust, promise, and joy. Trustful souls make all the difference. They don't have to be perfect (none are), but when there is a ready trust that can be given and shared, that makes most everything bearable if not better. It can make up for all the failed moments of promise and trust in the past. Joy does not depend upon the happenings of life, but rather the awareness and realization that one is fortunate, and if a believer, blessed by God. Good, real people of promise can create some of the most memorable and beautiful chapters in our life and can provide a much-needed shelter from the storm. I hope you have people of promise in your life and that you, in turn, are able to be one to others. Happy Friday, my friends & neighbors.