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MERRY CHRISTMAS 2007

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In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.  This was the first enrollment, when Quirin’i-us was governor of Syria.  And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.  

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  

And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.  And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among men with whom he is pleased!”

(Luke 2:1-14)

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I’d like to add one thought this year as an addendum to last year’s Christmas Day posting, which is one of my favorite Biblical passages by the way.  When I was growing up in rural Pennsylvania, my Mom and I attended a very historic old Episcopal Church.   At the end of every Christmas Eve midnight service, our vicar used to read another favorite Biblical passage of mine.  He would read it by solo candlelight as the rest of the church was dark.  When he closed the Bible, he would begin to light all of the rest of the candles in the church as his wife sang a lovely rendition of “Silent Night” as the church slowly lit up.

In honor of my Christmas Past and in honor of my Mom who is recovering from surgery today, I would like to also print my favorite Biblical scripture of all.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

(John 1:1-14)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

Comments

  3. I second that emotion, Vera.

    Just as an addendum – I love St. Luke’s account of the nativity but my favorite Christmas verse is the geneaology found in the Gospel of St. Matthew. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is read on the Sunday before Christmas. Last night at midnight, the liturgical reading was St. Luke’s.

    And remember, the 12 drinks – uh, I mean DAYS – of Christmas begins today and runs through Epiphany (Jan. 6). So eat, drink and be merry!

    Or in some people’s cases, eat, drink and be Mary.

    😉 Sorry, couldn’t resist.

    Merry Christmas,
    Peter H.

  5. “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

    And from John I : “For He is the forgiveness of our sins, but not for ours only, but for the whole world.”

    The love of God reaches to all men everywhere, in all generations. This includes all our friends and all our enemies.
    No matter how evil men may be, it is God’s commandment that we love them, even as God loves us. This is the true meaning of Christmas. This is our charge from God. I pray that we as Americans will not fail in our task.

  6. #6 – And sometimes, for those whose deeds have been really really evil, the best way to love them is to actively defend their victims – even if that means sending them ‘early’ (so to speak) to God’s care and judgment.

    Not a message of Christmas per se, perhaps, and not something to do lightly; but a part of the total picture nonetheless.

  7. Hope everyone had a good Christmas.

    Ours is on hold. My mom got sick on Christmas Eve and she started throwing up blood yesterday morning. She’s at the hospital right now. They were going to do an endoscopy, but it looks like they may not have to. Hopefully she’ll be discharged soon and we can finally get around to having Christmas.

  12. I know there’s a lot of Tammy Bruce fans here.. so my gift to you is the C-SPAN Video Library of her various appearances on there ever the years.

    You can view the list here:

    http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&keyword=keywords&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&policy_id=&person_first_name=tammy&person_last_name=bruce&person_title=&person_affiliation=&program_id=&program_title=&program_sponsor=&program_summary=&program_location=&date_occurred_after=&date_occurred_before=&date_aired_after=&date_aired_before=&rescnt=10&x=0&y=0

    Tammy is a vital leader in the struggle to defend America against our enemies domestic and foreign.