‽istis ponders Christmas (weekending December 24th 2022)
Christmas[i]…
…and so much that could be said, and has been said and will be said; and could be sung and has been sung and will be sung; and could be eaten and has been eaten and will be eaten; and could be drunk and has been drunk and will be drunk; and could be remembered and has been remembered and will be remembered; and could be received and has been received and will be received; and could be given and has been given and will be given…
…or not said or sung or eaten or drunk or remembered or received or given…
Once upon a time (though not necessarily in the beginning) the person behind the pseudonym behind the character, ‽istis – pondered and penned and there was a word, a new lyric that seemed to fit with a tune already there (with apologies to Kate Rusby, but also with very grateful thanks for what the person behind the pseudonym behind the character, ‽istis, considers to be the glory that is the song ‘My Young Man’[ii]).
Perhaps, possibly, maybe these alternative lyrics, offered humbly, say something about this season and the beliefs that give it its name:
A Star Shines
1) A star shines on the earth,
A herald of a baby’s birth.
A promise made: of peace,
Goodwill to all shall never cease.
God is here – Emanuel!
And yet we search, for now it seems so hard to tell.
2) For on this glorious morn,
As Christmas Day begins to dawn.
The bombs and bullets fly
And children cry before they die.
And who’s the Herod now?, we say,
As parents weep, we feel their loss and cannot pray.
3) A star shines on the earth,
A herald of a baby’s birth.
A promise made: of peace,
Goodwill to all shall never cease.
God is here – Emanuel!
And what we say and do will be the way they tell.
All things shall be well, be well?
We are the star – and we must prove Emanuel!
And as the talk about God continues to filter, more or less, through the wrappings of the season, ‽istis tries replacing the ‘G’ word with the ‘l’ word: ‘love’ – in carols and songs and prayers and sermons and words and deeds – to see what might be born and nurtured; what peace and goodwill might be brought on earth; what glory might yet be shone around‽
© ‽istis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past blog entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders. ‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...
[i] Other festivals are available…
[ii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjblYI9KEY
