Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Solstice, New Year- and rejoice!

[mary_j_59]

It is the weekend of Gaudete Sunday, so Im posting this. Here's the incomparable Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span, singing "Gaudete". Someone has kindly provided a translation of the verses in the comments; the chorus is "Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary! Rejoice!"

Let us remember that, in spite of the state of the world, there is much to rejoice about. Whatever you celebrate, I hope you'll have a happy, healthy winter festival.

Comments

[eeyore6771.livejournal.com]

This does seem to be a year when we need to be reminded that we have many blessings. Mary, I like your parish priest's response - we often need to remember that. Thank you for posting this.

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Pakistan hadn't happened when I posted this, but I think we who are Christians must remember that Christ IS present and alive in this world. In these stories, (Luna the whale and the two school attacks)I see him in the affection of the poor little whale and the people who tried to help him, in the suffering children, and, most of all, in those two principals. Dawn Hochsprung ran toward the gunman to save the children, and the headmistress in Pakistan proclaimed, "I will not leave my children alone with those beasts". I am in awe at their heroism, and also deeply grateful that I've never been tested that way.