The sin of despair indeed. Where there is no hope, there is no joy. Thank you, Robert, for having the courage to speak - it definitely did need to be said, and I for one, really needed to read it. A merry, joy-filled Christmas to you and your kin!
Thank you for this comment, Cathy! And for the encouragement—even after many years of writing and teaching, sometimes it is still hard to send one's thoughts out into the world, not knowing what will come back. If you needed to read this article, I am so glad that I wrote it. Best wishes to you and yours for a merry and medieval Christmas!
Voltaire, God rest his soul, was not a nice guy. Whatever outward show he put on of being a Catholic, and you had to in those days, the man literally was setting up clandestine printing presses in protestant Holland so that France could be flooded with immoral literature to dull peoples' minds in the decades leading up to the French Revolution.
Robert, I just may be a lowly seed planting hack, so I'll plant one for you...perichoresis is the Divine indwelling 'dance' of the Triune God. Since it is an interplay of prime action it can be represented by light, life and love---what I term "those three haloed words."
When in 2013 I first read the papal encyclical Lumen Fidei I located 14 key passages where Pope Benedict XVI exposed this glorious circular dynamic, i.e., light, life and love in the same paragraph or even the same sentence. It's a shame his name was not on the last page but that is a subject for another story.
Light, Life and Love deserve to be raised and joyfully witnessed as a triple cord (ref. Ecclesiastes 4:12) that is hard to break. They are mutually reinforcing and prevent light's corruption into false lights, life's corruption into lifestyles and love's corruption into lust.
And we know who would want this corruption now more than ever...
In recent years I have made an effort to observe Christmas in full, extending it long past the conventional and commercial end of the season. It's well worthwhile and if you can make it to Plough Monday (January 13th this time) in an atmosphere of joy and rejoicing then you can say you have truly experienced a medieval Christmas. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for this comment. That's been my intention as well for quite a few years now, but I have to admit, I've had limited success. It's a struggle for me to keep the medieval-Christmas spirit alive when the rest of the world is back to business as usual.
Well said! And I love the conclusion. Lately I have the words to an old song revolving in my head: "Tomorrow shall be my dancing day...". That thought lifts me out of my doldrums or weariness. They remind me that the joy of having Our Savior will always be greater than the temporary darkness that steals its way in now and then. A most blessed Christmas to you, with thanks for this post and the wonderful illustrations!
And in a month or so, not only will Christmas feel long past, and not only will it be cold and dark, but also Lent will be on the horizon.... That's a tough time of year for joy.
The sin of despair indeed. Where there is no hope, there is no joy. Thank you, Robert, for having the courage to speak - it definitely did need to be said, and I for one, really needed to read it. A merry, joy-filled Christmas to you and your kin!
Thank you for this comment, Cathy! And for the encouragement—even after many years of writing and teaching, sometimes it is still hard to send one's thoughts out into the world, not knowing what will come back. If you needed to read this article, I am so glad that I wrote it. Best wishes to you and yours for a merry and medieval Christmas!
Joy to the world!
Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s laughter, love, and good red wine,
At least I’ve ever found it so,
Benedicamus Domino!
Forgot to attribute this to Hillaire Belloc
It’s a sad commentary on our times. The sin of despair. “Nihilism and virtue-signaling” as David Samuels put it.
Voltaire, God rest his soul, was not a nice guy. Whatever outward show he put on of being a Catholic, and you had to in those days, the man literally was setting up clandestine printing presses in protestant Holland so that France could be flooded with immoral literature to dull peoples' minds in the decades leading up to the French Revolution.
A pleasant read, my understanding of the NT is that joy is a side effect of the indwelling Holy Spirit given as pure gift.
Mark LaJOIE approves this message. JOY!
Robert, I just may be a lowly seed planting hack, so I'll plant one for you...perichoresis is the Divine indwelling 'dance' of the Triune God. Since it is an interplay of prime action it can be represented by light, life and love---what I term "those three haloed words."
When in 2013 I first read the papal encyclical Lumen Fidei I located 14 key passages where Pope Benedict XVI exposed this glorious circular dynamic, i.e., light, life and love in the same paragraph or even the same sentence. It's a shame his name was not on the last page but that is a subject for another story.
Light, Life and Love deserve to be raised and joyfully witnessed as a triple cord (ref. Ecclesiastes 4:12) that is hard to break. They are mutually reinforcing and prevent light's corruption into false lights, life's corruption into lifestyles and love's corruption into lust.
And we know who would want this corruption now more than ever...
Google search: trinitylll.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-early-church-fathers to read my bush league attempt a decade ago.
Then, remake it as your own and gift it to the world.
The medievals will thank you.
I’m utterly enriched by reading this. Thank you!
You're welcome Stu, and thanks for the comment, I'm truly glad to know that this piece brought some light into your day.
In recent years I have made an effort to observe Christmas in full, extending it long past the conventional and commercial end of the season. It's well worthwhile and if you can make it to Plough Monday (January 13th this time) in an atmosphere of joy and rejoicing then you can say you have truly experienced a medieval Christmas. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for this comment. That's been my intention as well for quite a few years now, but I have to admit, I've had limited success. It's a struggle for me to keep the medieval-Christmas spirit alive when the rest of the world is back to business as usual.
Well said! And I love the conclusion. Lately I have the words to an old song revolving in my head: "Tomorrow shall be my dancing day...". That thought lifts me out of my doldrums or weariness. They remind me that the joy of having Our Savior will always be greater than the temporary darkness that steals its way in now and then. A most blessed Christmas to you, with thanks for this post and the wonderful illustrations!
I didn't realize there was so much Christianity in the Middle Ages! And I love the dancing part...joyful!
Too good to be true.....
....amen Amigo! 🌐⛪☦️🕊️
Σοφία Χάρης Αγάπη Δόξα! 🔥
And in a month or so, not only will Christmas feel long past, and not only will it be cold and dark, but also Lent will be on the horizon.... That's a tough time of year for joy.
If you follow the liturgical year closely then that is the dark side of Christmas: you start to become aware that Lent isn't far off...