This Christmas post celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, who marked the beginning of our era, the Christian era, anno Domini or from the full original phrase anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi- (AD). Heinrich Schütz's Weihnachtshistorie (Christmas Story) SWV 435, serves as the main work. It's a «Historiae», a Christmas story that Julius Spitta first published four years after it was most likely performed in 1660. The 20th century's most renowned editions are those by Max Schneider and Arnold Schering.
December 2023 cover
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| The Nativity with the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, 1308-1311 by Duccio di Buoninsegna |
The Weihnachtshistorie is preserved in three versions: the first version, SWV 435a; the second version, 435; and the Berlin version, SWV. 435b. It consists of 10 concertos (introduction, eight intermediaries, conclusion), as well as a middle section by the evangelist (Heinrich-Schütz-Haus Bad Köstritz). Matthew 2:1–23 and Luke 2:1–21’s gospels provide a large portion of the work’s text (Carr, 2015). Schütz included a «Stylo recitativo» into his work.
Das bedeutet, dass die Rezitative mit der über die Worte geführten Modulationen und Mensur aber zugleich auch im "alten Charakter redenden Stilo" singbar sind! (This implies that one can also sing the recitatives in the "old character speaking style" with the modulations and scale over the lines!). Alexander Hering
Weihnachtshistorie SWV 435 (translated text available below) is a transcription of the recording, conducted by Jean Tubéry, made between November 15th and 18th, 2003, under a Phaia music licence. The first three pieces on the album, Mach Dich Auf, Were Licht, Zion (Aus Opella Nova II 1626, Johan Hermann Schein), Gegrüsset Seist Du, Holdselige! (Matías Weckmann), and Magnificat Anima Mea (Henrich Schütz), seemed fitting to include as well, since Weihnachtshistorie together create an extraordinarily beautiful programme. Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano); Hans-Jörg Mammel (tenor); Choeur de Chambre De Namur; and La Fenice ensemble were all featured on the album.
Weihnachtshistorie SWV 435
Christmas Story · Histoire de la Nativité
| Deutsch / Latin | English |
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Prophezeihung Jesajas 1 Mach dich auf, werde Licht, Zion
Mach dich auf, werde Licht, Zion, denn dein Licht kömmet, und die Herrlichkeit des Herren gehet auf über dir. Denn siehe, Finsternis bedecket das Erdreich und Dunkel die Völker, aber über dir gehet auf der Herr, und seine Herrlichkeit erscheinet über dir; und die Heiden werden in deinem Licht wandeln und die Könige im Glanz, der über dir aufgehet. | Isaiah’s Prophecy Arise, shine, Zion, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross dark-ness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. |
Verkündigung Gabriels 2 Gegrüsset seiest Du, Holdselige! Engel
Gegrüsset seiest Du, Holdse-lige! Der Herr ist mit dir, du Gebene-deite unter den Weibern. Fürchte dich nicht, Maria, du hast Gnade bei Gott funden, siehe, du wirst schwanger werden im Leibe, und einen Sohn gebären, dess Namen sollst du Jesus heissen. Der wird Gott und ein Sohn des Höchsten genennet werden, und Gott der Herr wird ihm den Stuhl seines Vaters David geben; und wird ein König sein, über das Haus Jacob ewiglich, und seines Königsreichs wird kein Ende sein. Maria Wie soll das zugehen sintemal ich von keinem Manne weiss! Engel Der Heilige Geist wird über dich kommen und die Gnade des Höchsten wird dich überschatten; darum auch das Heilige, das von Dir geboren wird, wird Gottes Sohn genennet werden. Und siehe, Elisabeth, deine Gefreundte, ist auch schwanger mit einem Sohn, in ihrem Alter; und gehet jetzt im sechsten Mond, die im Geschrei ist, dass sie unfruchtbar sei. Denn bei Gott ist kein Ding unmöglich. Maria Siehe, ich bin des Herren Magd; mir geschehe wie du gesagt hast. Alleluia | Gabriel’s Annunciation Angel Hail, thou that art highly favoured. The Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Mary How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Angel The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the High-est shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be ca lied the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her, who was ca lied barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. Mary Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Alleluia |
Canticum Mariä 3 Magnificat anima mea Magnificat anima mea Dominum. Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae: Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. Quia fecit mihi mag na qui potens est: et sanctum nomen ejus. Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum recordatus misericordiae suae. Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. | The Canticle of Mary My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, And ever shall be, world without end, Amen |
Historia der freuden- und gnaden reichen Geburt Gottes und Marien Sohnes, Jesus Christi 4 Eingang: Sinfonia Die Geburt unsres Herren Jesu Christi, wie uns die von den heiligen Evangelisten beschrieben wird. Evangelist Es begab sich aber zu der selbigen Zeit, daß ein Gebot von dem Kaiser Augusto ausging, daß alle Welt geschätzet würde, und diese Schätzung war die erste und geschah zu der Zeit, da Cyrenius Landpfleger in Syrien war, und jedermann ging, daß er sich schätzen ließe, ein jeglicher in seiner Stadt. Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa, aus der Stadt Nazareth, in das jüdische Land zu der Stadt David, die da heißet Bethlehem, darum daß er von dem Hause und Geschlechte Davids war, auf daß er sich schätzen ließe mit Maria seinem vertrauten Weibe, die war schwanger. Und als sie daselbst waren, kam die Zeit, daß sie gebären sollte, und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn und wickelt ihn in Windeln und legte ihn in eine Krippen, denn sie hatten sonst keinen Raum in der Herberge. Und es waren Hirten in derselbigen Gegend auf dem Felde, die hüteten des Nachts ihre Herde, und siehe, des Herren Engel trat zu ihnen, und die Klarheit des Herren leuchtet um sie und sie furchten sich sehr, und der Engel sprach zu ihnen: | Story Of the Joyful and Merciful Nativity of The Son of God and of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ Sinfonia The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it has been recorded by the Holy Evangelists. Evangelist And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that ail the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And ail went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: |
5 INTERMEDIUM I Der Engel Fürchtet euch nicht! Siehe, ich verkündige euch große Freude. Freude die allem Volk widerfahren wird. Denn euch ist heute der Heiland geboren, welcher ist Christus der Herr in der Stadt David. Ich verkündige euch große Freude. Und dies habt zum Zeichen, ihr werdet finden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt und in einer Krippen liegen. Evangelist Und alsbald war da bei dem Engel die Menge der himmlischen Heerschaaren, die lobeten Gott und sprachen: | INTERMEDIUM I Angel Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Evangelist And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly host praising God, and saying: |
6 INTERMEDIUM II Die Menge der Engel Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe. Friede auf Erden und den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen. Evangelist Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren, sprachen die Hirten untereinander: | INTERMEDIUM II The Heavenly Host Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. Evangelist And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away From them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: |
7 INTERMEDIUM III Die Hirten auf dem Felde Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem und die Geschichte sehen, die da geschehen ist, und der Herr uns kund getan hat. Evangelist Und sie kamen eilend und fanden beide, Marien und Joseph, dazu das Kind in der Krippen liegend, da sie es aber gesehen hatten, breiteten sie das Wort aus, welches zu ihnen von diesem Kinde gesagt war, und alle, vor die es kam, verwunderten sich der Rede, die ihnen die Hirten gesaget. Maria aber behielt alle diese Worte und beweget sie in ihrem Herzen, und die Hirten kehreten wieder um, preiseten und lobeten Gott um alles das sie gesehen und gehöret hatten, wie denn zu ihnen gesaget war. Und da acht Tage um waren, daß das Kind beschnitten würde, da ward sein Name genennet Jesus, welcher genennet war von dem Engel, ehe denn er im Mutterleibe empfangen ward. Da nun Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande, zur Zeit des Königes Herodis, siehe, da kamen die Weisen aus Morgenlande gen Jerusalem und sprachen: | INTERMEDIUM III The shepherds Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. Evangelist And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising Gad far all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: |
8 INTERMEDIUM IV Die Weisen aus Morgenlande Wo ist der neugeborne König der Juden? Wir haben seinen Stern gesehen im Morgenlande und sind kommen Ihn anzubeten. Evangelist Da das der König Herodes hörete, erschrak er und mit ihm das ganze Jerusalem, und ließ versammeln alle Hohenpriester und Schriftgelehrten unter dem Volk und erforschete von ihnen, wo Christus sollte geboren werden, und sie sagten ihm: | INTERMEDIUM IV The wise men Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him. Evangelist When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him: |
9 INTERMEDIUM V Hoherpriester und Schriftgelehrte Zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande, denn also steht geschrieben durch den Propheten: und du Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande, du bist mitnichten die kleineste unter den Fürsten Juda, denn aus dir soll mir kommen der Herzog, der über mein Volk Israel ein Herr sei. Evangelist Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich und erlernete mit Fleiß von ihnen, wann der Stern erschienen wäre, und weisete sie gen Bethlehem und sprach: | 9 INTERMEDIUM V Priests and scribes In Bethlehem of Judæe, for thus it is written by the prophet: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. Evangelist Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said: |
10 INTERMEDIUM VI Herodes Ziehet hin, und forschet fleißig nach dem Kindlein und wenn ihr‘s findet, so saget mir es wieder, daß ich auch komme und es anbete. Evangelist Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten, zogen sie hin, und siehe, der Stern, den sie im Morgenlande gesehen hatten, ging vor ihnen hin, bis daß er kam und stund oben über da das Kindlein war. Da sie den Stern sahen, wurden sie hoch erfreuet und gingen in das Haus und funden das Kindlein mit Maria, seiner Mutter, und fielen nieder und beteten es an und täten ihre Schätze auf und schenkten ihm Gold, Weihrauch und Myrrhen. Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum, daß sie sich nicht sollten wieder zu Herodes lenken, und sie zogen durch einen anderen Weg wieder in ihr Land. Da sie aber hinweg gezogen waren, siehe, da erschien der Engel des Herren dem Joseph im Traum und sprach: | 10 INTERMEDIUM VI Herod Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. Evangelist When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying: |
11 INTERMEDIUM VII Der Engel zu Joseph Stehe auf, Joseph. Stehe auf und nimm das Kindlein und seine Mutter zu dir und fleuch in Egyptenland, und bleibe allda, bis ich dir sage, denn es ist vorhanden, daß Herodes das Kindlein suche, dasselbe umzubringen. Evangelist Und er stund auf und nahm das Kindlein und seine Mutter zu sich bei der Nacht und entfloh in Egypterland, und bliebe allda bis nach dem Tode Herodis, auf daß erfüllet würde, das der Herr durch den Propheten geredet hat, der da spricht: Aus Egypten habe ich meinen Sohn gerufen. Da nun Herodes sahe, daß er von den Weisen betrogen war, ward er sehr zornig und schicket aus und ließ alle Kinder zu Bethlehem töten und an ihren Grenzen, die da zweijährig und drunter waren, nach der Zeit, die er mit Fleiß von den Weisen erlernet hatte, da ist erfüllet das gesaget ist durch den Propheten Jeremias, der da spricht: Auf dem Gebirge hat man ein Geschrei gehöret, viel Klagens, Weinens und Heulens. Rahel beweinete ihre Kinder und wollte sich nicht trösten lassen, denn es war aus mit ihnen. Da aber Herodes gestorben war, siehe, da erschien der Engel des Herren dem Joseph im Traum und sprach: | 11 INTERMEDIUM VII The angel to Joseph Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. Evangelist When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called my son”. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not”. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying: |
12 INTERMEDIUM VIII Der Engel zu Joseph Stehe auf, Joseph. Stehe auf und nimm das Kindlein und seine Mutter zu dir, und zeuch hin in das Land Israel, sie sind gestorben, die dem Kinde nach dem Leben stunden. Evangelist Und er stund auf und nahm das Kindlein und seine Mutter zu sich und kam in das Land Israel, da er aber hörete, daß Archelaus im jüdischen Lande König war, anstatt seines Vaters Herodis, fürchtet er sich dahin zu kommen, und im Traum empfing er Befehl von Gott und zog an die Örter des galiläischen Landes und kam und wohnete in der Stadt, die da heißet Nazareth, auf daß erfüllet würde, was da gesaget ist durch den Propheten: Er soll Nazarenus heißen. Aber das Kind wuchs und war stark im Geist, voller Weisheit, und Gottes Gnade war bei ihm. | INTERMEDIUM VIII The angel to Joseph Arise, and take the young child, and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. Evangelist And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. And when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Iudæe in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the paths of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene”. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him. |
13 Beschluss Dank sagen wir alle Gott unserm Herrn Christo, der uns mit seiner Geburt hat erleuchtet und uns erlöset hat mit seinem Blute von des Teufels Gewalt. Den sollen wir alle mit seinen Engeln loben mit Schalle, singen: Preis sei Gott in der Höhe. | 13 Conclusion Let us give thanks to God our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His birth hath enlightened us, and with His blood hath redeemed us from Satan’s power. Him we shall praise, together with His angels, and sing aloud: Praise be to God on high. |
14 Hodie Christus Hodie Christus natus est: Alleluia! Hodie Salvator apparuit, Alleluia! Hodie in terra canunt Angeli, Alleluia! Laetantur Archangeli Alleluia! Hodie exsultant justi, dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo, Alleluia. Heute ist Christus geboren, heute ist der Heiland erschienen. Heute singen Engel auf der Erde, und die Erzengel freuen sich. Heute jubeln die Gerechten und sagen: Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe. Halleluja. | 14 Hodie Christus Today the Savior appeared: Today on Earth the Angels sing, Archangels rejoice: Today the righteous rejoice, saying: “Glory to God in the highest. Hallelujah.” |
Source: Claire Lefilliâtre, Hans Jörg Mammel, Chœur de Chambre De Namur, La Fenice, Jean Tubéry (2003). Weihnachtshistorie SWV 435s [Album]. Phaia music
Reflexion
Simple numbers, the kind that can be multiplied, added, or subtracted! The market's logic and the intellectual deception of a small group of people in positions of political and economic power, working along with the idealist philosophy that is the foundation of this poisonous Modernity, have degraded humans to nothing more than objects. Since 2020, there has been a cynical and perverse decline in the world's population attributed to pandemics, wars and, more recently, something "understood" as genocide.
These objects, which the media treats with the utmost disdain, are kept alive by the apocalyptic hope that they will be granted perpetual life in the hereafter. What a paradox! Do the objects that are offered for sale in the market adhere to the believe in god? For objects, what kind of god would this be? Naturally, this god would be an object, a creature of market logic, and the festivities surrounding his birth would consist of exchanging material gifts with others during an opulent celebration that would include massive banquets that could potentially raise the retail sales price index on a seasonal basis. Here, it's Modern Christmas Time!
When Jesus of Nazareth is mentioned, people frequently assume it's a secular discussion. But this is a succinct, pleasant, and acceptable picture of a world without God, one in which we, the humans, have superseded God and find ourselves in need of no explanation at all, having the ability to solve any issues with reason and our precious Modern Philosophy. To eliminate God is to relegate ourselves to the status of objects subjugated to the capricious decisions of a "select" few.
We are being deceived, believing the false and not believing the true. The Historiae captured by Schütz is not a story, nor a tale, it is a history - which does not refer to History in and of itself -, it is an event that occurred more than two thousand years ago about the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God; the fulfillment of the promise of the Word of God; the Word became flesh; the Word that was revealed to Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets. The Word that is Eternal Life. God made man, denied and betrayed by the Jewish high priests of the Temple; Pilate washed his hands. I'm not saying it, Mel Gibson isn't saying it, and St. Jerome probably didn't say it either, he just revised and translated the Vetus Latina and other manuscripts to obtain what we know as the Vulgate.
What was supposed to be saved will be saved and the Son of God became man. Jesus of Nazareth fed on bread and never lost his divinity. In St. Jerome's Nativity homily he begins by speaking of Mary; the Holy Virgin Mother; the Mother of the Lord to whom the Angel Gabriel had announced the purpose of God. «She laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn» (Luke 2:7). Mary «saw there the Son of God, her Son, her one and only Son; she looked at him, and in her musing, she compared what she had heard with what she had read and with what she herself perceived». An angel announced the Birth of the Lord and an army of angels made the praises resound «Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth found among those of good will» (Luke 2:14). The shepherds went to Bethlehem to see with their own eyes the Word made flesh. Christ who was found by them who kept awake and not by Herod, the priests or the Pharisees who «while they were sleeping, Christ is found in a lonely grotto».
In the sancta sanctorum -shone with gold, precious stones, pure silk, and silver- Jesus found no dwelling place; «He is not born in the midst of gold and riches, but in the midst of dung, in a stable». We are aware that Jesus was never recognised as the Messiah and was merely a common Jew from the outskirts of Jerusalem who proclaimed Love as the Kingdom of God, ruler of our lives. Even though he was descended from David, it was quite possible that he would have been viewed as a "stranger", someone who used political scheming to declare himself the Messiah, something that the Empire and its Jewish clients would not have approved of.
There was a separation between "first-class" and "second-class" Jews. Galilee, a remote area of Palestine where Jesus was born, was primarily inhabited by Gentiles who had been driven out by Judas Maccabeus. During his mandate, Maccabeus drew significant distinctions between Jews and Gentiles, which became evident in Temple relations even though Herod was constantly attempting to introduce Hellenistic culture. The Jews considered the Atrium Iudaeorum to be the most sacred place, where the divine being dwelt, the God who had made his alliance "exclusively" with them through Moses, as recorded in the Exodus (Ex 34:27). The Gentiles had their own area known as the Atrium Gentium, and anyone who dared to enter the Atrium Iudaeorum in the worship of Yahweh would face the death penalty. By the start of the first century AD, Gentiles had taken up most of the land in Galilee. Jesus would have received double disregard from both the Jews for being an impoverished peripheral Jew who socialised with Hellenized people and the Gentiles for being a Jew in a Gentile region.
However, according to Josephus's account, he «drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles», he was the «Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day». The Son of God, Jesus, told us the two most crucial commandments and kept his word to save us. «Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself» (Mark 12: 29-31).
Naturally, the market and its objects themselves are nothing more than a Modernity trick that seduces us and keeps us from realising that God is the reality. We commemorate the Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God during Christmas, whether it be on December 25th or the Epiphany, because we «worship one Lord, acknowledge one Babe». Christ not only died to save us in the afterlife. Christ is found in the present as well as the future; he is present in our day-to-day existence and makes himself known through love. No one goes to the Father except by the Son.
Per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso, est tibi Deo Patri omnipoténti, in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, omnis honor et gloria per ómnia saécula saeculórum. Amen
References
- Claire Lefilliâtre, Hans Jörg Mammel, Chœur de Chambre De Namur, La Fenice, Jean Tubéry. (2003). Weihnachtshistorie SWV 435s [Album]. Phaia music https://booklets.idagio.com/4010072774040.pdf
- Carr, A. (2015). Solo angel roles in vocal music: Tracing the use of angel roles from 1600 to the present [Graduate School dissertation, Ball State University].
- Ehrman, B. D. (2005). Lost Christianities: The battles for scripture and the faiths we never knew. Oxford University Press, USA.
- Heinrich Schütz House Bad Köstritz http://heinrich-schuetz-haus.de/
- Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Trans. by W. Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
- Jerome, Saint. The Homilies of Saint Jerome, The Fathers of the Church, vol. 57 Ed. Marie Ligouri Ewald. Catholic University of America Press, Washington DC 1966.
- Mader, M. (2000/2001). Die Rekonstruktionen des Eingangschores aus der Weihnachtshistorie (SWV 435) von Heinrich Schütz.[Class document]. Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. Musikwissenschaftliches Institut.
- Pope Francis. (2020). Scripturae Sacrae Affectus [On the sixteen hundredth anniversary of the death of Saint Jerome] [Encyclical letter]. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20200930_scripturae-sacrae-affectus.html
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