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| My first husband in 2009, the last time I heard from him. By chance, I just recently learned that he died in 2020, age 54. By all accounts, he loved his life and was much loved. |
I am standing here in this exquisite Chapel of St George at Windsor Castle, so close to where my beloved mother, the late Queen, is laid to rest with my dear father.I am reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family.Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition.In the much-loved carol O Little Town Of Bethlehem we sing of how “in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light”.My mother’s belief in the power of that light was an essential part of her faith in God, but also her faith in people and it is one which I share with my whole heart.It is a belief in the extraordinary ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others, and to shine a light in the world around them.This is the essence of our community and the very foundation of our society.We see it in the selfless dedication of our armed forces and emergency services who work tirelessly to keep us all safe, and who performed so magnificently as we mourned the passing of our late Queen.We see it in our health and social care professionals, our teachers and indeed all those working in public service, whose skill and commitment are at the heart of our communities.And at this time of great anxiety and hardship, be it for those around the world facing conflict, famine or natural disaster, or for those at home finding ways to pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm, we see it in the humanity of people throughout our nations and the Commonwealth who so readily respond to the plight of others.I particularly want to pay tribute to all those wonderfully kind people who so generously give food or donations, or that most precious commodity of all, their time, to support those around them in greatest need, together with the many charitable organisations which do such extraordinary work in the most difficult circumstances.Our churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras, have once again united in feeding the hungry, providing love and support throughout the year. Such heartfelt solidarity is the most inspiring expression of loving our neighbour as our self.The Prince and Princess of Wales recently visited Wales, shining a light on practical examples of this community spirit.Some years ago, I was able to fulfil a life-long wish to visit Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity.There, I went down into the Chapel of the Manger and stood in silent reverence by the silver star that is inlaid on the floor and marks the place of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth.It meant more to me than I can possibly express to stand on that spot where, as the Bible tells us, ‘the light that has come into the world’ was born.While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light overcoming darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief.So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I believe we can find hope for the future.Let us therefore celebrate it together, and cherish it always.With all my heart, I wish each of you a Christmas of peace, happiness and everlasting light.
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| Madonna and Child by Il Sassoferrato, 1674. |
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made usfor yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and becomesubject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent JesusChrist, your only and eternal Son, to share our humannature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself,in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the wholeworld.
We cannot all do great things;but we can do small things with great love.
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| Our new 7.5-foot tree (cost only $25), with a rotating star full of rainbow-colored lights. |
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| Our happy little hacienda in a rainbow of colored lights; the pic does not convey the real beauty. All of these new-fangled lights are quite bright and distinct from one another, though they appear to blur together in the photo. Some of them in the windows and around the eaves twinkle. |
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy told cheering U.S. legislators during a defiant wartime visit to the nation’s capital on Wednesday that against all odds his country still stands, thanking Americans for helping to fund the war effort with money that is “not charity,” but an “investment” in global security and democracy.The whirlwind stop in Washington — his first known trip outside his country since Russia invaded in February — was aimed at reinvigorating support for his country in the U.S. and around the world at a time when there is concern that allies are growing weary of the costly war and its disruption to global food and energy supplies.Zelenskyy called the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. military and economic assistance provided over the past year vital to Ukraine’s efforts to beat back Russia and appealed for even more in the future.“Your money is not charity,” he sought to reassure both those in the room and those watching at home. “It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
I've got a little list, I've got a little list,Of societal offenders who never would be missed --Who never would be missed!
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., spoke on Dec. 19 as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack presented its final findings to the public.She blasted former President Donald Trump’s actions in office on the day of the Jan. 6 attack. Cheney referenced testimony from Trump administration officials collected by the committee that said the former president watched the riot on television from inside the White House without calling on his supporters to stop.“This was an utter moral failure and a clear dereliction of duty,” she said. “No man who would behave that way at that moment in time can ever serve in any position of authority in our nation again. He is unfit for any office.”Cheney said Jan. 6 was the first time an American president “refused his constitutional duty” to transfer power peacefully.“The committee recognizes that our work has only begun,” she said. “It's only the initial step in addressing President Trump's effort to remain in office illegally.”The Jan. 6 committee will release its full report later this week as the panel wraps up its work.
Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,which means, “God is with us.”
The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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This 1989 compilation explores a number of interlacing threads in the magnificent tapestry of American history - a story, like all human stories, of highs and lows, light and shadow, sinners and saints. Sadly, it cannot be told in this way today. All history must now be cut to fit the latest pattern of right or left - and shouted, not said.
So enjoy this before it disappears down the memory hole.
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The wolf shall live with the lamb,the leopard shall lie down with the kid,the calf and the lion and the fatling together,and a little child shall lead them.
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