We Are So Blessed

I doubt very many of you are reading this, and that's a good thing.

It's not because I don't want people to read my writing. (That's sort of my job; I think I'm a journalist, or something.) But today isn't really a day for reading blogs, even Christian ones. And I trust you already know that.

I say the following with no presumption of knowing anyone's lot in life, so beg forgiveness of those who cannot in conscience look upon this day with the joy that I do. But I would be lying if I did not say how I truly feel, that I am so, so blessed.

Tamales and Tradition: Tani's Christmas Post

Hey, y'all! It's Christmas — a time of tradition, hope, and most important, family. After all, we're celebrating how God joined our human family so that we could all have the hope of being together in Heaven! So, I'm going to make this post about family! Recently, I took to Facebook to ask about various Christmas traditions. Here are some of your answers:

Of the Sentiment and Simplicity of Christmas

Coptic Orthodox Nativity Ikon, courtesy of St. Joseph School for Boys Bookstore

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. —Luke 2:12-14

Every year, sometime after Dad throws the one defective strand of icicle lights into the rubbish bin but before Uncle Jim locks himself in the bathroom in an eggnog-induced stupor, we are inevitably presented with the ambiguous trope known as "the true meaning of Christmas".

The true meaning of Christmas™ is always presented, and occasionally asked, with some sort of deep or emotive tone, as if we do not know the answer already. This, of course, is because Christmas has far deeper societal implications than merely going through the motions of Advent devotions and attending Mass. As I said last year, the trappings of the season make Jesus unavoidable, but we must add that those same trappings serve to confuse the event itself. A Christmas of glamour, not of God, is no Christmas at all.

God Enters His Temple

Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire,or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver,and he will purify the sons of Levi,Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by. —Malachi 3:1-4

Welcome, Outsider!

O God, who by the star this day revealed Your only-begotten Son to all nations, grant that we, who know You now by faith, may be brought one day before the vision of Your majesty. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. —Collect of the Feast of the Epiphany

The Man and the Mystic

Saint John resting on the breast of Jesus

In the gathering of the Church the Lord opened his mouth and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and clothed him with a robe of glory. —Introit of the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist

Of Merriment, Miracles and the Meaning of Christmas

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. —Isaiah 9:6

In our humble blog's short time here on the worldwide interwebs, we've covered many topics, including the run-up to today. There is so little one can add to what has been said in so many sermons, written in so many books, sung in so many songs and prayed in so many prayers about Christmas, but that doesn't mean we can't try to say something relatively meaningful.

Power Woman for Christ!

Saint Lucy

Princes have persecuted me without cause, and my heart hath been in awe of Thy words: I will rejoice at Thy words, as one that hath found great spoil. —Communion Antiphon for the Feast of Saint Lucy

Christ Jesus, the God Who Appears to Us

Praised Be Jesus!

Happy Advent to all of you, and I pray that this Advent may be a time of great preparation for the coming of Our Lord on Christmas and that He may be born anew in our hearts!

Innocence, Born to Die

"So, we're just going to let scores of children carry open flames in the cathedral? Did no-one second-guess this idea?"

As Michael noted in our previous post, last Sunday was the Feast of Christ the King, which closes out the liturgical year. Thus, the start of Advent (derived from the Latin for "coming") today marks a new year, as well as the beginning of that short but intense time of solemn waiting and joyful expectation. Christmas will be upon us in not even four weeks, giving us precious little time to reflect upon its true meaning.

Thanks for Nothing

"Dear Lord, we thank Thee for bringing us all together and for the gift of Purell, that our hand-holding might be that much less disgusting. Amen."

“A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like us.’”
—Saint Anthony the Great, presumably foreseeing the rise of Black Friday sales

Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday in which Americans (and Canadians, whose freakish October observance doesn't count) gather together, feast until they're stuffed and/or diabetic and pass out watching football and/or parade coverage. They're also thankful to God for all their of their food and blessings and stuff. Traditionally, the next day, Black Friday, officially begins the Christmas season and is marked by orderly, cheerful holiday shopping and—