There is something about Christmastime that brings so much joy to my heart. This is the time when we celebrate Christ's birth; a time for all to publicly rejoice in redemption's arrival. I understand that nowadays the world wants us to say "Happy Holidays," instead of "Merry Christmas," but isn't it essentially the same? So I'm going to go on now in my blissful state and continue to sing the praises for this season. You know why I like it so much? Because deep within us all our souls, even those held captive, are celebrating. For some that voice is as tiny as a church-mouse's whisper, for others it is as loud as thunder, but in all of us it is there. The voice of our souls saying "my redeemer has come! Hallelujah, let us rejoice! Let us sing and shout for joy because today, on this day, salvation came into the world and we are set free!"
This is why I love the holidays. There is this atmospheric tension that seems to build. Each day is more pregnant than the last with the anticipation of our dear Savior's birth! And the whole world celebrates! Lights are strung up, bells are hung, tree's decorated, gifts bought, garland wrapped down banisters, carolers sing, Christmas music blares from every speaker available, and people bake the most delicious food ever! Do you realize no other day, nay, no other season can hold a candle (pun intended) to the amount of songs dedicated to this time? The songs go on forever! Beautiful melodic songs that we sing that began in the 12th century? What song do you know that began 9 centuries* (900 years) ago that we still sing? Right!
Yes this is a time for retailers to rejoice as well, but realize this, no matter how commercialized this time becomes, it only exists for one reason. For One reason is there this holiday season and quite frankly it can become as materialistic as anything because in the long run, in the end, the True Reason for this season will win. You can take my credit card but you can't take the Christ out of Christmas. You can change the name for all I care, you could make into whatever you want, be it Presents day, be it Spendallyourmoney Day, be it Reindeer Day, WHO CARES?! Do you really think that your soul will be change its tune just because our society (bear in mind it is only a society) is trying to warp this season? My soul will still rejoice and so will yours! If I were kept in a windowless room and my ears were closed, my soul would still know this season.
* O Come O Come Emmanuel.
For a plethora of Christmas Carols and Hymns, visit http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/HTML/The_hymns_and_carols_.htm
3 comments:
O Come O come Emmanuel becomes even more beautiful when you read the original Latin prayers it was based on.
The 7 prayers in Latin begin with the words:
O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
O Adonai (O Lord)
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
O Clavis David (O Key of David)
O Oriens (O Day-Spring)
O Rex Gentium (O King of the Gentiles)
O Emmanuel - (this one is obvious.)
One is prayed each night from Dec 17 to Dec 23rd. And it is like a countdown to the incarnation. If you take the first letter of the first word of each prayer (not counting the "O") and read them backwards it spells "Ero Cras" which is Latin for "Tomorrow I will be". Because on the next night God became man. Now, how cool is that?
and that is my useless fact for the day :-)
James
Wow James, that's awesome. Thanks so much! I would hardly call that useless.
You are welcome. I'm glad you liked it.
I decided to expand on what I wrote a little and include the actual prayers themselves. If you are interested it can be found here.
James
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