“Oh, if only I could see that manger in which the Lord was laid! As a tribute of honor, we Christians have now removed the mud-baked one and replaced it with a silver one; but the one that has been removed is more precious to me! Silver and gold are appropriate for the pagan world: […]
Three weeks of another year’s Advent are past; the one that’s left is just a few days long—Christmas Day itself peeks ‘round the corner. The three weeks behind me have already been framed and filled and formed by a dozen dear traditions, from sacred to silly; the few days ahead hold the most cherished, even
Why do we love a ghost story at Christmas? How does the ghost story speak to the eternity in our hearts? Out on the Mira, perhaps, around a bonfire, there we expect the “witches and werewolves and Oak Island gold.” But why now, as we celebrate starlight and the birth of a baby? Stand on
I’m no longer ashamed to admit that I own and wear Christmas Pants, and I think you should too. My understanding of how to celebrate the Christmas season has changed recently, and I’ve had to rethink how I comport myself and how I manage my classroom in December. Do you own a pair of Christmas
Christmas Pants, Chesterton Rants, and School Decembers Read More »
My daughter, Mary Judah, has very strong opinions about paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe. MJ cannot stand O’Keeffe’s work. We did the audio tour for the O’Keeffe special exhibit at San Francisco’s De Young Museum years ago. One of the stations on the tour included a recording of O’Keeffe herself talking about art and what makes
From Thanksgiving through to Christmas, our tables boast their finest display of the year. Turkeys roasted and basted to a gilt sheen, tenderloins encased in crusty herbs, rib roasts and crown roasts with their buttresses of bone; humble potatoes, green beans, carrots, squash transfigured with spices and sauces; crumby cakes mounded in velvety frostings, pie
In all the Christmas activity, we get distracted and so Advent reflection has to be intentional
It’s easy to overlook the powerful value of the Church Calendar, but during Advent we need to avoid this
Britten’s “This Little Babe” offers poetic and musical metaphors that rouse our wonder at the Incarnation’s paradoxes–particularly the paradox that our warfare with sin and Satan testifies to our peace with this God-man.
Incarnation as Alarum: Benjamin Britten’s “This Little Babe” Read More »
John Donne on the miraculous circumstances – and ironic implications – of the nativity
In Old Testament times, people carried personal idols around with them to receive guidance and blessing from their deity. Unfortunately, this tradition is often perpetuated in modern times by the way we carry our smart phones. We fear to part with them. We constantly check them to see if they have any messages for us.
So chances are good that sometime during this Holiday season you will be watching a Christmas movie. Or ten. You’ll be snuggled up around the fire with one of those giant popcorn tins at your feet, egg nog in hand, and you’ll watch the likes of It’s A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, and Miracle
6 Christmas Movies You Shouldn’t Miss (But May Never Have Seen) Read More »
