We always move around and sofittingly our Christmas is mobile,each returning to their homes, like Josephand a heavily expectant Mary, carryingthe hope of the world in her womb. We depart carrying gifts in shopping bagsor catch up on forgotten things at airport stores.And when we arrive: reunion, butno birth, Messiah forgotten where we left HimandContinue reading “Advent 4: Airport Christmas”
Tag Archives: Bethlehem
Christmas 11: Upsidedown
One of the more curious lost phenomena of Christmas was the late Medieval custom of appointing a so-called “Lord of Misrule” (or, as called in Scotland, the “Abbot of Unreason”). This involved either a peasant or an unimportant figure in the church being appointed to oversee the Christmas revelries. A related or parallel custom involvedContinue reading “Christmas 11: Upsidedown”
Christmas 8: Order my beginning
Another year begins, and today we have a special piece of music to see in the new year: Bach’s Cantata for New Year’s Day, Part IV of his spectacular Christmas Oratorio. This cantata takes as its theme the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, but as often happens with Bach the story is explored throughContinue reading “Christmas 8: Order my beginning”
Christmas 5: Heaven’s Eternal Christmas
Today’s reading tells the story of Jesus being presented to Simeon, the faithful follower of God who had waited in expectation of the “consolation of Israel” for all of his life and could now be “dismissed in peace”. In keeping with this theme of “consolation” – a favourite of mine at this blog! – today’sContinue reading “Christmas 5: Heaven’s Eternal Christmas”
The Consolations of Writing 