{"id":9787,"date":"2025-12-25T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T00:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/?p=9787"},"modified":"2025-12-25T00:53:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T00:53:01","slug":"christmas-still-celebrating-and-rejoicing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-still-celebrating-and-rejoicing\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas: Still Celebrating and Rejoicing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/75BvlfSbkEA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A bit over six and a half years ago,<\/strong> astronaut Nick Hague recorded a video on the International Space Station. Nothing special there, but this one shows 30 minutes of Earth&#8217;s clouds passing by in about 60 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Just shy of a century back,<\/strong> someone named Coffin took an old Latin song, translated it, and added a couple verses. Including this one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;O come, Desire of nations, bind<br>All peoples in one heart and mind;<br>Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;<br>Fill the whole world with heaven&#8217;s peace.<br>Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel<br>Shall come to thee, O Israel.&#8221;<br>(&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel\">O Come, O Come, Emanuel<\/a>&#8221; , verse added by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Henry_Sloane_Coffin\">Henry Sloan Coffin<\/a> in 1916)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A millennium plus a century before that,<\/strong> &#8220;O Come, O Come, Emanuel&#8221; \u2014 or, rather, &#8220;Veni, veni, Emmanuel&#8221; \u2014 got started as a song sung by monks during Advent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Current events have changed a bit since 2019, 1916, and the eighth century. Human nature, not so much. That&#8217;s not a new or original idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;&#8230;<strong>Human nature will not change.<\/strong> In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, <strong>we will have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good.<\/strong> Let us, therefore, <strong>study the incidents of this <\/strong>as philosophy <strong>to learn wisdom from,<\/strong> and none of them as wrongs to be revenged&#8230;.&#8221;<br>(&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/files\/2659\/2659-h\/2659-h.htm#link2H_4_0273\">On Democratic Government<\/a>&#8221; ; Response to a Serenade, November 10, 1864; Abraham Lincoln (November 10, 1864) via Project Gutenberg) [emphasis mine]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>What we&#8217;re celebrating today is \u2014 I&#8217;m putting this mildly \u2014 a very big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a name=\"celebrating\"><\/a>Celebrating the Messiah and Lord&#8217;s Birth<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-sermon-for-pagans-viewpoints-nature-and-hope\/#good\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20231112ff\/20231221-Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Angel_and_the_Shepherds_-trim-adjust-enh-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"James Tissot's 'The Angel and the Shepherds', 'L'ange et les bergers'. (between 1886 and 1894) From Brooklyn Museum, via Wikipedia, used w\/o permission\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Angel and the Shepherds&#8221;, James Tissot. (ca. 1886-1894)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.<br>The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.<br>The angel said to them, <strong>&#8216;Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.<br>For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.<br>And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.&#8217;<\/strong><br>And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;<strong>&#8216;Glory to God in the highest<br>and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.&#8217;<\/strong>&#8220;<br>(<a href=\"https:\/\/bible.usccb.org\/bible\/luke\/2#50002008\">Luke 2:8<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/bible.usccb.org\/bible\/luke\/2#50002014\">14<\/a>) [emphasis mine]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Two millennia have passed since then. The infant who was and is Messiah and Lord grew up, showing us who and what the Messiah and Lord is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then Jesus was tortured, executed, and buried. A few days later he stopped being dead. That made a profound impression on his surviving followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before Jesus left, he told his followers to share the best news humanity&#8217;s ever had, with anyone who would listen. So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve been doing. Among other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also said he&#8217;d be back, and that&#8217;s another topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve talked about this, and related matters, before:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#fa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/brendans-island.com\/blogsource\/20190916ff\/20191214-deck_us_all_boston_charlie_walt_kelly-329.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Walt Kelly's Pogo characters and 'Deck Us All With Boston Charlie.' (1961)\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Deck Us All With Boston Charlie&#8221; and Walt Kelly&#8217;s Pogo characters. (1961)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/just-who-is-this-jesus-person-and-who-does-he-think-he-is\/\">Just Who is This Jesus Person, and Who Does He Think He is?<\/a><\/strong>&#8221; (October 8, 2022)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/just-who-is-this-jesus-person-and-who-does-he-think-he-is\/#claiming\">Claiming Divinity<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/just-who-is-this-jesus-person-and-who-does-he-think-he-is\/#man\">The Man Who Said &#8220;I AM&#8221; and Defeated Death<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-human-on-his-mothers-side-the-incarnation\/\"><strong>Jesus, Human on His Mother&#8217;s Side: the Incarnation<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; (December 25, 2021)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-human-on-his-mothers-side-the-incarnation\/#light\">&#8230;The Light Shines in the Darkness \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-human-on-his-mothers-side-the-incarnation\/#darkness\">\u2013 \u2013 \u2013 And the Darkness Has Not Overcome It&#8230;.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/jesus-human-on-his-mothers-side-the-incarnation\/#making\">Making Sense<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/\"><strong>Joy and Shadow, Free Will and Something Silly<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; (December 12, 2020)\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#oh\">&#8220;Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel&#8221; \u2014 Plainsong, Burial Chant and Advent Hymn<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#advent\">Advent: Ordinary Folks, Unique Events<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#joy\">Joy and Shadow<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#fa\">Fa-La-La and Free Will, Responsibility and Reconciliation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/joy-and-shadow-free-will-and-something-silly\/#good\">Good News<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bit over six and a half years ago, astronaut Nick Hague recorded a video on the International Space Station. Nothing special there, but this one shows 30 minutes of Earth&#8217;s clouds passing by in about 60 seconds. Just shy &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/christmas-still-celebrating-and-rejoicing\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Current events change. Human nature has not changed. Neither has why we celebrate the birth of Jesus, Messiah and Lord. Sharing the best news ever.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Christmas: Still Celebrating and Rejoicing","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[215,154],"tags":[103,109,90,69],"class_list":["post-9787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-being-catholic","category-discursive-detours","tag-advent","tag-christmas","tag-holidays","tag-jesus"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Dwtw-2xR","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9787"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9796,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9787\/revisions\/9796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}