From the WSJ’s annual Christmas editorial:
When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.
Everywhere there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long. Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the centurions saw that it was so.
But everywhere there was something else, too. There was oppression—for those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flax from the spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?
At our family’s celebration last night, in lieu of a formulaic grace, I said this: “Some believe one thing, some another. Some believe in nothing at all. But what cannot be disbelieved is that two thousand years or so ago a 33-year old carpenter from a backwater lot in the Roman empire changed the world, forever. And his method was love.”
Something, I think, we all can learn from regardless of our beliefs.
Vermont Royster’s 1949 editorial ends thus: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Amen.
The gifts are all unwrapped, the wrapping papers swept up, dinner served, the plates washed and put up. A quiet morning after. A cup of coffee, the New York Times Sunday edition. Everyone still sleeps, happy, healthy and content, the very air wrapped in their soft exhalations.
My favorite part of my favorite day.
Again, to you and yours, a very Merry Christmas to those who believe in that one thing. And to the others, my friends, every possible blessing of the season.
Amen!
Oh, and to finish that verse:
καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
If you simply must have the Latin:
et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum
English is fine by me.
Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Lex, and all who read this wonderful blog.
Mozart wrote a wonderful setting for it that we’ve been singing this Christmas.
Nice post Lex; MC&HNY to you and yours.
Merry Christmas to you and the family, Lex. And all of the commentariat, as well.
Merry Christmas, Lex and the same to your wonderful family. Make sure Gus gets his stocking, OK?
Merry Christmas to all who vist here..!!
Having a Cajun Country Christmas visiting in-laws. And Gaston the green-nosed Alligator sends his Seasons Greetings to one and all!
Make sure Alois the Cajun French poodle doesn’t get close to Gaston, less Gaston have a very, VERY Merry Christmas
Heh, more true than you knew, Byron. The brother in-law who lives in rural Grosse Tete across the river from B.R. had TWO of his dogs eaten last year by a gator who crawled up from the bayou tributary of the AAtachafalya R. which abuts the back of his property. Fish & Wildlife came and shot it. Gators are more than thriving and are becoming a problem as West BR Parish grows in pop.
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” – Winston Churchill
All true warriors pray for peace but like many great concepts, the ” human ” element changes the equation. We stand ready to defend the peace from those who would wish us harm.
I am glad for the day that the Lord has given us, and happy we are here to share it with those we love. My God-Daughter informed all today she is with child and due in July. A wonderful Christmas surprise.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
Amen brother.
From Germany:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YTXlEahbSLg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Nn6JGUh5Guw
Merry Christmas, Lex, to you and your family, and to all of the lucky people who come here to read and share thoughts. This is a special site led by a special guy for which I am thankful daily.
Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas, Lex, and to all the inhabitants of Lex Land. Sounds like a lovely Christmas day – my favourite part was reclining on the couch, with my feet up, admiring my new comfie slippers while gazing at the Christmas tree, sipping some tea and listning to Micheal Buble … totally change the Christmas songs I always knew! And now it’s off to Christmas dinner – time to talk turkey. And stuffing. And cranberry sauce. And…
It’s been a nice Christmas Day. Even had a canine visitor and met the girl my son will marry, although he doesn’t know it yet
I’m his father, and I just know these things. The signs are all there.
Sounds like it. He’s saying “if” but I know he really means “when.”
She just hasn’t informed him yet. But, according to my wife my son has blown her away, so it may be mutual. I raised him to be more aggressive than I am and I may have created a monster. So to speak.
It has been a blessed day on our side of the country. Spent in the presence of our dearest friends – the family we choose – and their family. Wrapped in their loving embrace from brunch thru dinner. It was all so wonderfully loud and boisterous and messy.
And now we are at the favorite part of our day; we have retired to the peace and quiet of our own home. Safe and snug with a late cocktail (Glenlivet anyone?), all hunkered down in our jammies ready to enjoy our week’s vacation.
If everyone here is half as happy and at peace as we are – we all are living the lives of our dreams.
Lex, the very best from mine to yours.
A couple of Popes ago said “The world needs more joy and less pleasure”.
I think he was on to something.
My best wishes to all for a joyous Christmas and New Year.
Peace on earth, good will to men. Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings, God bless us, every one.
Merry Christmas and love the post!
It is always sobering, as the year ends, to ponder what I’ve given to this world and what my legacy will be. I’ve a great and loving wife and some wonderful kids, a warm and loving family, and am known around the office for a knowledge of all things trivial and quick with a joke.
By the time he was my age Alexander the Great had conquered the known world *and* been dead for seven years. Leonardo DaVinci had pretty much studied, defined, or invented everything by his early 40′s. Napoleon forced upon the world the metric system before he was 50. Andrew Carnegie owned the darned world by the time he was 35.
And a lowly Jewish carpenter in his early 30′s, we think, has influenced more people and affected more lives than all of the above combined.
Sobering, when you think upon it. Humbling, when you compare your own accomplishments against His.
I’m praying I’ll be judged upon my intentions rather than my works.
– Max
I have seen Priuses with What Would Jesus Drive bumper stickers. Given that he was a carpenter, I would suspect several things, at least one Chevy K3500 one ton pickup, and I have read that he was cabinet maker, not a just a carpenter, so probably a Ford E-350 hi cube van, so he could deliver the cabinets without getting them exposed to the elements. Maybe a Chevy Kodiak, so he could get wood in bulk, and either a couple of Suburbans, or extended length Econoline vans, as he had at least 14 people accompanying him around. Probably not a Prius.
Some say that the word, tekton τεκτων, could equally mean ‘stone mason,” and there is speculation that Joseph and Jesus both worked as masons in the rebuilding of Sepphoris (sp?), destroyed by Varus, only a few miles away.
So we might even be talking Petes and Kenworths, then, even farther from Priuses! Maybe even an Oshkosh!
Scott, maybe a Morgan +4 or a Marcos (with its wooden chassis). Of course his Father rides a Harley
Hogday, I wouldn’t dare compare Joseph with him but even Hitler wants a Harley.
I wouldn’t expect Hitler to have any better taste in bikes.
QM: Its a funny thing, biking. I just sold my BMW 1150 GS (needs must) which is a technological marvel – I kept my 2003 Road King, which isn’t – yet I love them both in equal amounts for totally different reasons.
Airboss: Thats one of the series that I haven’t seen
Hogday, I’ve loved riding bikes since my college days! I’ve had: 1967 Honda 150 dream (the only bike ever made with square headlights and square fenders),1973 Kawasaki Triple,850 Norton Commando, Rickman 250VR, Rickman 125 SuperCross, Montesa 250, Bultaco 350 Trials Bike, Honda 350 Something or other, Honda 250 XL, Husqavarna 350 Motocross (tried to kill me too many times), BMW 1500? (too tall for my short legs), Harley Heritage Classic (I custom built it in 2002 and it won several prizes) 1550 Harley ElectraGlide Screaming Eagle, 2003 Duece 100th Anniversary – Gold film and black, 2008 Screaming Eagle Road Glide, and now I’m on a 2010 Harley TriGlide Trike (my bad back and legs + they don’t fall over). I guess I love bikes just a little too much!
Touched a nerve, Hogday. I owned the 3rd tubular steel frame 2994cc 3-litre 1969 Marcos ever built (the wooden frame transmitted unbelievable road noise–like being inside a pipe organ)–picked it up at the factory @ Bath and drove it back to Ipswitch. Was met. silver w. black int. 1500lbs and only 4in off the road! A 50-50 wt distribution–would out-corner a Porche. Elec. overdrive in 3rd&4th w. toggle-switch on gear-shift lever. What a Heinz car–Triumph hood-latches and Lotus tail-lights. lol. Great car for a single guy tho..
I loved the Marcos. Never even sat in one tho`.
Ha! and Lotus got THEIR tail lights from Ford
Merry Christmas to you Lex, and to your family as well. And to all who read and comment here, God bless us everyone.
A fine Christmas Day was had here, too, in dear olde Norfolk, (that one of of Her Majesty’s Kingdom of Great Britain [and Northern Ireland] as opposed to the younger, delightful Virginny version Lex would be more familiar with).
Boxing Day has a few more wrapped gifts to exchange with number one son and the woman in his life, after a walk along the heritage Suffolk coast and some winter wader spotting. Our life is good, may yours be too, blog chums.
“God Bless Us, ev`ry one”
Merry Christmas, Lex and all in “Lexland”. Your comments and prayer were nothing short of MAGNIFICENT!
Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is indeed the reason for this season and His Father is the reason we are even here. We are nothing without Him, whether we acknowledge it or not… for we all shall call Him Lord someday.
Merry Christmas to Lex and family, and to all who dwell here.
May GOD bless us, everyone.