It reminds me of the prayers we were taught as children before bed. Here I lay me down to sleep, I pray to God my soul to keep/ O angel of God... There was so much wisdom in teaching children to do this.My Spiritual Director told me one time to take it as a big compliment if the devil attacks you directly.
I have reflected often on the "fruit" of Our Lady. It is Christ's sacred heart hanging on the tree for us to be plucked by us. Did he intend for it to be this way inorder that the Tree of Life would be more meaningful for us? That we see the price of this fruit? I have also reflected upon the tree of good and evil. The more I learn of the evils of the world, of our turning away from God, our outright rebellion of Him in our personal lives but also in general, in the sins of nations, if I can borrow that term from Fr. Martin, I have been filled with so much sadness. But today it came to me that God is all that which is lacking, He is a perfect logic, a perfect order, He is perfect goodness and above all love; all of which I can only catch in glimpses in imperfect and in brief comprehension. And I find it overwhelming. So I want to remember this year when I feel overwhelmed by the evil I see that God is overwhelming in Goodness.
Lovely. I admit I feel very cranky when I look around me at the moment. Its good to get a spoonful of sugar.
I posted a very serious post from Bonald yesterday on the 'Vatican has Fallen' thread. Here is a more light-hearted meditation on Christmas carols: December 21, 2025 by Bonald Christmas carols I used to think I hated Christmas carols. When I had children, I thought they should have the experience of hearing then during Advent, so I played them and got to experience them anew. It turns out I love Christmas carols; I just hate “Jingle Bells” (and, even more, the abominable “Jingle Bell Rock”). In general, I don’t care for the songs about snow and Santa etc. Somehow, the merriment and familial intimacy of Christmas is best enhanced by a solemn background, the musical suggestion that our little joy is related to something deep and ancient. Among secular Christmas songs, the only one I particularly like is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, which is really about how I won’t be home for Christmas. “Coventry Carol” is the most beautiful Christmas song, and by far the saddest. My favorites are the theological carols “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. I mean favorite musically, in terms of melody and atmosphere, apart from the message. Songs like this are happy but not cute, with a masculine seriousness, more like troops rallying to their King than children anticipating candy. I find this better complements and enhances the domestic holiday, in which candy does have a prominent place. What’s more, the best of the carols succeed in being popular in the truest sense, that the ordinary masses of people can sing them. (By contrast, “O Holy Night” is a song for trained singers.) Listening to children (or Peanuts characters) sing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” gives one a vision of how a Christian culture can exist, and once did. A truly Christian culture is not one without injustice or sin (that would be a culture without men, not a culture at all) but one infused with hope in Christ’s promises. Let us savor, as well, the lyrics of our carols. It’s remarkable how much of the content of our Faith some are able to pack into a few stunning lines. Consider Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb: veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th'incarnate Deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King" Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice: Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies. [Take note that “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” are all featured on Bob Dylan's Christmas album, "Christmas in the Heart", with him singing the first verse of Adeste in Latin].
I wonder if Mary and Joseph joked and laughed together on their way to Bethlehem, especially at their little disasters? I hope they did. I love to think of them having a good time during the bad times.
