‘…to all men of good will’

January 1st – 7th day of Christmas 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)

It is always perfectly justifiable to distinguish between error as such and the person who falls into error—even in the case of men who err regarding the truth or are led astray as a result of their inadequate knowledge, in matters either of religion or of the highest ethical standards. A man who has fallen into error does not cease to be a man. …Besides, there exists in man’s very nature an undying capacity to break through the barriers of error and seek the road to truth. God, in His great providence, is ever present with His aid. Today, maybe, a man lacks faith and turns aside into error; tomorrow, perhaps, illumined by God’s light, he may indeed embrace the truth.

…Let us, then, pray with all fervor for this peace which our divine Redeemer came to bring us. May He banish from the souls of men whatever might endanger peace. May He transform all men into witnesses of truth, justice and brotherly love. May He illumine with His light the minds of rulers, so that, besides caring for the proper material welfare of their peoples, they may also guarantee them the fairest gift of peace.

Finally, may Christ inflame the desires of all men to break through the barriers which divide them, to strengthen the bonds of mutual love, to learn to understand one another, and to pardon those who have done them wrong. Through His power and inspiration may all peoples welcome each other to their hearts as brothers, and may the peace they long for ever flower and ever reign among them.

from Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in Terris

---

More popes today, because it’s apparently World Peace Day (for Catholics at least), and the theme of politically explosive encyclicals amuses me. (Pacem in Terris, was addressed to ‘all men of good will’ in addition to members of the Catholic Church.) Also, for those of us that get all the popes mixed up: Pope John XXIII was the one responsible for the Second Vatican Council, which pissed a lot of people off for some reason. Pope John Paul II was the cool pope who skied. And no one cares about the two in between because they were boring (more or less).

…and I’m a terrible person, because all I could think of throughout writing this entire thing was Miss Congeniality.

I am wrapping this blog up, but I missed a post or two last(!) year, and I wanted to finish the twelve days of Christmas, mostly because I think they’re cute.  I may start something new, but if I do, it will be elsewhere, because I put this on a blog for my own sanity, to have a self-contained indexed, tagged, shareable archive. But thank you anyway, all you weirdos who have actually read this thing, I’m sure you’re the nicest three people on the planet. I’m sure I could have gotten an extra three people to read it if I’d done anything in the way of promotion, but, see above. ☝

[Edit: I started on with the pope posts before whatshisface started issuing papal bulls about cell phones, but I refuse to go back and change things just so that I look original.]

---

Anyway, have a very happy New Year! Enjoy the new things, appreciate the old things, and thank God for both.

 

O, Dayspring!

December 21st 

O Dayspring, brightness of the everlasting light, Son of Justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

O Oriens* antiphon

These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the hero of Israel’s songs:

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth.’
If my house were not right with God,
surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire.”

2 Samuel 23:1-5 (NIV)

---

*If this sounds familiar it’s because O Come, O Come Emmanuel is based on the Greater  [‘O’] Antiphons. As I may have said before, they are very, very old, and have been translated, paraphrased and re-translated many times.

---

Here is another John Wesley hymn: literally the only version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing I found that I liked, by the U.S. Army Band of all things. (I think it’s just because it needs a lot of deep voices, but most of the men’s choruses that did it used the Willcocks arrangement, which I loathe with a passion.)

---

…and here is an image of another spiral galaxy, M74, from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic.

Here’s this year’s calendar, if anyone’s interested.

In the flesh, in our hearts, and in glory

December 1st, First Sunday of Advent

…He will proclaim peace to the nations.

Zechariah 9:10 (HCSB)

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.”

This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. A very large crowd spread their robes on the roads; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting:

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!”

Matthew 21:1-10 (HCSB)

---

Here is the King’s Singers’ Veni, Veni Emmanuel on Youtube and Spotify. Because Latin, is cool. There’s also Josh Wilson’s O Come Emmanuel, for those of you that don’t think Latin is cool.

…and here is a photo of the Lagoon Nebula from last year’s Hubble Advent Calendar in The Atlantic. I’m sure there’s one this year, but I want to be able to post it on the right day. (I love Advent calendars, because, deep down, I’m actually just a really verbose five year old, and like to put things in their proper cubbyholes. Bonus points if they’re shiny.) 

 

Peace

October 20th 

 …where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:16-18 (NASB)

First, keep yourself in peace, and then you will be able to keep peace among others. A peaceable man does more good than one that is learned.

A good peaceable man turns all things to good.

He that is in peace is not suspicious. But he that is discontented and troubled; he is not quiet himself, neither does he allow others to be quiet. He often speaks that which he ought not to speak; and omits what it would be more expedient for him to do. He thinks about what others are obligated to do, and neglects what he is obligated to do himself.

It is no great matter to associate with the good and gentle; for this is naturally pleasing to all, and everyone willingly enjoys peace, and loves those best that agree with him. But to be able to live peaceably with hard and perverse people, or with the disorderly, or with those that are contrary to us, is a great grace, and a most commendable thing.

There are some are that keep themselves in peace, and are at peace also with others. And there are some that are neither in peace themselves, nor allow others to be in peace: They are troublesome to others, but always more troublesome to themselves.

And there are those that keep themselves in peace, and study to bring others to peace.

from Thomas a Kempis’ Imitation of Christ (Book II, Ch. 3)