A few Christmas gifts from me to you

December 24, 2024

I have been unusually quiet on social media lately. For me, this has been a time of reflection, rest, recollection, realization, and preparation for what comes next. It has also been a time of quiet gratitude … gratitude for the gift of life, of a loving family, of peace where I live, of enough to eat, of a beautiful home, of health, of meaningful work, of rich memories. None of these can be taken for granted, and while it is foolish to be in denial about all that is in peril in our world, it is even more foolish to let all that is wrong in our world overshadow all that is good, beautiful, and so worth celebrating.

I’m especially grateful for you, all my friends — old an new … for all my colleagues (at the CAC and elsewhere) … for all readers of any and all of my books (especially Life After Doom, which came out this year) and listeners to my podcasts … for my students and parishioners across the years … and for my own teachers and mentors.

I’ve also been thinking of my parents and grandparents a lot lately, and feeling deep gratitude for them, and for all my ancestors.

And, of course, each morning I awaken in a majestic and beautiful living Earth, a web of life that continues to give generously even though our species has done it so much harm.

I want to share a few simple gifts that I have enjoyed recently … in hopes that they will bring you some extra joy too.

First, one of my favorite Christmas pieces, something I return to each Christmas season:

(Here’s a translation of the Latin into English, with some background: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/o-magnum-mysterium-lyrics-composers/)

Second, this song from a group of children in Ramallah. It reminds us that the original Christmas story itself occurred against a backdrop of violence and agony (Matthew 2:16-18), and that (as Howard Thurman said) the work of Christmas continues each day.

Third, not directly related to Christmas, but a testament to human creativity … and what can happen when we come together under wise leadership, in the creative Spirit, to give ourselves to beauty and harmony: