I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving. I was so busy helping my mom and aunt prepare Thanksgiving dinner that I ran out of time to write my column.
Advent officially began on November 30. Advent means “to come,” and celebrates the coming of Jesus as a baby to earth. Christians celebrate the four Sundays before Christmas by lighting candles on an Advent wreath. Usually the wreath contains three purple tapered candles, a pink tapered candle, and a white pillar candle. The first four candles represent hope, peace, joy, and love. The white candle is called the Christ candle. The pink and purple candles are lit on the four Sundays before Christmas; the Christ candle is lit during Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services.
Many people in the Atlantic community have strung their Christmas lights. I love seeing lights during this time of year when daylight is scarce.
The older I get the more I appreciate the light and music that accompany the Christmas season. I think these always play roles in Christmas celebrations because they graced the first Christmas.
God provided light by creating a star that led magi to the Christ child and by sending The Light of the World, Jesus.
Angels announced “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” to the shepherds (Luke 2:14). While the King James Version, which I quoted above, reads, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,” (Luke 2:13) I imagine the angels singing these words. I suppose listening to the chorus “Glory to God” from Handel’s “Messiah” has something to do with my interpretation.
I’ve read books that describe angels’ singing as beautiful beyond description. Imagine how stirring and shocking this hymn must have been to the shepherds.
While I can’t compete with angelic singing, I love hearing and singing Christmas carols. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and others top my list of favorite hymns. Which are your favorites?
It’s nice hearing Christmas music in stores, on the radio, and on TV, but I grow weary of hearing songs such as, “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” and “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.” They have no spirit of “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”
I hope the lights and songs of Christmas lift your spirits this week. Blessings!