Market Shaking a Bit This Morning, But Christmas Approaches Anyway
"They" say the futures are down because of "virus fears." I guess if futures were up, we'd be reading that was because Congress finally passed a relief package. Whatever.
What's not subject to this endless Wall Street jabber: Christmas (with Hanukkah having just concluded). It's coming whatever the stock market does. In that light, we went this email to our clients on Friday:
The final day of Hanukkah has passed, along with the blessing some of us prayed as we lit the candles on its final day:
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.
(Blessed are You, O Lord Our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commands us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah…)
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, she’asah nisim l’avoteinu, b’yamim haheim bazman hazeh.
(Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who made miracles for our forefathers in those days at this time.)
Last night, others of us prayed the first of the seven O Antiphons, ancient prayers that anticipate the coming of the Messiah:
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
(O Wisdom, Who didst come out of the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come and teach us the way of prudence.)
As we all look back on a year that none of us could have anticipated, these Hebrew and Latin prayers recall and extend centuries of faith and tradition. Though ancient, these tradtitions remain firm, clear and present to us in the midst of a time that cries out for reason, understanding, and, most of all, truth. May their All-Holy Source grant us peace in the midst of the disquiet and uncertainty in our lives.
God bless us, everyone!
Rick
P.S. - G.F. Handel combined the Jewish and Christian traditions perfectly in this Aria from his immortal Messiah. The words of the first part are from Isaiah, the second part from the Gospel of Matthew. This version especially moves me, both for its vocal and instrumental excellence as well as its superb audio and video quality. (That and the fact that I sang this solo as a boy soprano in our parish’s choir - once upon a time.)
(If, like me, you don’t like clicking on links in emails, just cut and paste this link into your browser.)
Whatever you take away from the stock market today and in coming days, I hope you can take away something good from this.
Comments