Opus 2023-290: Still Basically Illiterate

Don’t get distracted by the title.

I am listening to a musical rendition of “Go Tell It on the Mountain”.  It forces me to fill in the words, many of which I know but don’t think much about.  Most of us could supply the “Go tell it on the mountain” part and then we start to hum as our attention wanders.

I am suggesting that the next line is what really applies to us.  It would be easy to think about proclaiming something from a mountain top.  There are many great things that need to be said.  Don’t miss two points.

First, it goes on to say, “over the hills and everywhere”.  When you are sharing about Jesus, whether it is simply the meaning of Christmas or the salvation message, it is to be taken everywhere.  It is not limited to mountain top guru wisdom.  It is to be street level.  That is what “everywhere” means.

Second, what are we declaring?  “That Jesus Christ is born”.  That is what the original Christ Mass was commemorating.  The church calendar included all doctrine and truth, or at least that was the intent in a world that was largely illiterate.  Today people can pronounce the simple words, but they are still basically illiterate when it comes to the deeper concepts.

So take Merry Christmas everywhere you go.  Declare the fullness of time.  Share that the “word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

It is time to reclaim Christmas and the music of Christmas is a good place to start.

homo unius libri