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"WE ALL know the story of how Herod, alarmed at some rumor of a mysterious rival, remembered the wild gesture of the capricious despots of Asia and ordered a massacre of suspects of the new generation of the populace. Everyone knows the story; but not everyone has perhaps noted its place in the story of the strange religions of men. Not everybody has seen the significance even of its very contrast with the Corinthian columns and Roman pavement of that conquered and superficially civilized world. Only, as the purpose in his dark spirit began to show and shine in the eyes of the Admen, a seer might perhaps have seen something like a great gray ghost that looked over his shoulder; have seen behind him filling the dome of night and hovering for the last time over history that vast and fearful face that was Moloch of the Carthaginians; awaiting his last tribute from a ruler of the races of Shem. The demons also, in that first festival of Christmas, feasted after their own fashion. ….Herod had his place, therefore, in the miracle play of Bethlehem because he is the menace to the Church Militant and shows it from the first as under persecution and fighting for its life. For those who think this a discord, it is a discord that sounds simultaneously with the Christmas bells. For those who think the idea of the Crusade is one that spoils…
"THEY are offering up these scenarios to justify bringing in new systems of control. "This is all theater. This event was a simulation to test out their new subway cameras and police body cameras. They use special effects to enhance their psyops and contrived narratives to enrage the public. They said the victim and the attacker were all alone on the subway car, so it was so very fortunate that they had this technology to correctly identify and track down the suspect quickly. Yeah, right. "Now, the MSM is ridiculing Hochul, because all that safety clearly isn't enough goyim, look at what happened. Another 'Horrific Tragedy.' So now that opens the door for even more Orwellian delights." Source
FROM a Christmas message by Patrick Henry:
(This is not an endorsement of all the views expressed on Mr. Henry’s site, but of the content of this message.)
It is that time of year again when all of us would do well to use this hyperlink to be reminded again of the true PATHWAYS TO PEACE. It explains in a very important way what the angels meant when they sang: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill.” The second part sums up the reason why Jesus came to earth – to bring peace to men of goodwill. The information is very interesting, well-explained, and consoling. Nothing should take away our peace! It explains why every cross, contradiction, and trial in our lives should bring us real peace – if only we understand it. During this past year millions of people on earth, and a good number of those whom I know personally, have lost their beloved spouse, or parents, or their children. Others have lost their good name and reputation, or their jobs, or seemingly lost a lot in a court case. Others have had their property stolen, or those who owe them money refused to pay, or they suffered great financial losses. Others that we all know are suffering from health issues and other pains and sorrows. (more…)
THE HUMAN RACE is divided into two teams. Everyone is on one team or the other. They are Team God and Team Anti-God. The first is made up of fools and the un-cool, the sort of people who hear angels speak and see stars glitter with meaning. The truth is a sacred dagger to them that cuts to the heart. The second is made up of the beautiful people, scoffers who boast of their love and warmth. Their love is the carapace of their anti-love. They despise spiritual athleticism and wouldn't give God two nickels if he asked, which he has, again and again. Be the un-cool. Be a fool. Dwell in the hidden recesses of your imagination in that stable-cave of ancient fame and strive for the simplicity of the shepherds and the wisdom of the Kings. Merry Christmas, dear reader. May this day bring you closer to Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and the eternal mysteries of this wondrous feast. Thank you to those who have supported me in any way this past year.
FROM The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton:
Burdened like all mortal things with all mortal sin and weakness, the rise of Rome had really been the rise of normal and especially of popular things; and in nothing more than in the thoroughly normal and profoundly popular hatred of perversion. Now among the Greeks a perversion had become a convention. It is true that it had become so much of a convention, especially a literary convention, that it was sometimes conventionally copied by Roman literary men. But this is one of those complications that always arise out of conventions. It must not obscure our sense of the difference of tone in the two societies as a whole. It is true that Virgil would once in a way take over a theme of Theocritus; but nobody can get the impression that Virgil was particularly fond of that theme. The themes of Virgil were specially and notably the normal themes and nowhere more than in morals; piety and patriotism and the honor of the countryside. And we may well pause upon the name of the poet as we pass into the autumn of antiquity; upon his name who was in so supreme a sense the very voice of autumn, of its maturity and its melancholy; of its fruits of fulfilment and its prospect of decay. (more…)
THEN shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness. And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwell before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush. Isaiah, Chapter 35
"LET US retire from the world during these next few days; or if that may not be by reason of our external duties, let us retire into the quiet of our own hearts and confess our iniquities, as did those true Israelites, who came, full of compunction and of faith in the Messias, to the Baptist, there to make perfect their preparation for worthily receiving the Redeemer on the day of His appearing to the world." --- Dom Prosper Guéranger, The Liturgical Year
WHEN he lay on the cold earth, his Sacred Infancy encompassed all things. He knew all misery and joy. He was infinite power. He was frailty and weakness. His invisible graces, they say, instantly poured forth and fell upon forgotten places. The mystery of pain and the beauty of the stars were clarified. Nothing would ever be the same. Rejoice. You are close to the true events of that wondrous day.
MARIA WANDERS THROUGH THE THORN Maria wanders through the thorn, Kyrie eleison, Maria wanders through the thorns, That was seven years no bloom has born, Jesus and Maria. And as with child she passes near, Kyrie eleison, And as with child she passes near, Red roses on the thorns appear, Jesus and Maria. [Other fuller translations here and here.]
THE TRUTH FROM ABOVE
This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love;
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all both rich and poor.
The first thing which I do relate
Is that God did man create;
The next thing which to you I’ll tell:
Woman was made with man to dwell.
Then after this ’twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain from evil free,
Except they ate of such a tree. (more…)
[Reposted from Dec. 22, 2021]
ALAN writes:
If you walked up the grand staircase and into the beautiful St. Louis Public Library in downtown St. Louis in December 1966, you perhaps would have seen well-attired library patrons enjoying the library Christmas tree and a concert of Christmas carols, as depicted above.
If you walk into that building today, you will search long and hard for any indication that Christmas is approaching, and you will not find a trace.
Instead, what you will see are hideous mannequins throughout the building outfitted in the most preposterous “garments” you could imagine. It is an “exhibit” called “Rockin’ the Runway,” billed as “avant garde garments” created with “unconventional architectural materials.”
It is, in fact, a festival of absurdities. It has nothing to do with apparel or architecture. It has to do with mockery. Its purpose is to mock beauty, restraint, and tradition—and to mock those things at the same time of year when, in previous decades, precisely those qualities were celebrated and honored in that building in the national and religious holiday of Christmas. (more…)
THE OPERA singer Bryn Terfel sings with great restraint and feeling the gentle, soothing Welsh song "Ar Hyd y Nos," or "All Through the Night," often sung at Christmas time. This recording is with the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. An English translation by A. G. Prys-Jones: Ev'ry star in heaven is singing All through the night, Hear the glorious music ringing All through the night. Songs of sweet ethereal lightness Wrought in realms of peace and whiteness; See, the dark gives way to brightness All through the night. Look, my love, the stars are smiling All through the night. Lighting, soothing and beguiling Earth's sombre plight: So, when age brings grief and sorrow, From each other we can borrow Faith in our sublime tomorrow, All through the night.
THE real Trapp Family did not much resemble the Hollywood and Broadway version portrayed in the movie The Sound of Music except that the children loved to sing and Maria von Trapp did too. The singing siblings were classically-trained vocalists who toured Europe and later the United States in the 40s and 50s. They sang folk songs, madrigals, sacred music and Christmas carols. They also ran one of the first cross-country skiing inns in America from their farm in Stowe, Vermont, still owned by the family. The family's fortune had been mostly wiped out in a bank failure before World War II so their singing helped support them. They were trained and directed by a Catholic priest, Fr. Franz Wasner, who was nothing like his mercenary and cynical counterpart in the movie, Max Detweiler. The Trapp Singers were never the sensation that their fictional counterparts were, but they were better singers and they helped preserved the folk music and sweet Christmas songs of their beloved homeland.