Thank you for posting this, Dr. Harmon!

Interesting timing for me.. Just yesterday evening, I was in a minor battle about the Outgoing Processional on Christmas Eve.. As a fairly happy Christian, I love to go out proclaiming the News that “Christ is Born”......  Others want to leave church at 1:00 AM on Christmas Day, after singing “Silent Night” by candlelight, with NO processional…

Just think if the Angels just sat around in the dark, singing softly, we might have missed the whole thing..

I don’t know for sure if my point of view won out, but I do know my “Joy” is somewhat diminished.
Grandmother in SC

don’t let them dampen your joy, Grandmother. I always want to leave the church singing for joy. (Even on ordinary Sundays.)

Kendall I was so impressed with this that I sent the URL to my parish webmaster with the request that he put it on the website, where we have a section that we call ‘Soul Food’.  Thank you for posting it.

Just in time for the Third Sunday of Advent for which the Year C Epistle is Philippians 4:4-7. Thanks Kendall.

I was talking with one of our parishioners who had been confirmed recently. She said, “I believe I am happier now”. And wouldn’t that make perfect sense!

I remember our Canon Mike Malone+ telling a story during a sermon.
He said, he sat next to a “younger” lady during a dinner, and the subject of church services came up.  The woman complained that in the E. Church, there was not much joy.  And she like to ‘feel happy” when she left church.
Canon Malone, said “Well, Jesus Christ came to earth and died for YOUR sins, shouldn’t that make you happy?, there’s not much news that is more exciting than that”...

I’ve never forgotten that story, and thoroughly agree with Canon Malone.. 
Grandmother

Yes, I too thank you, Kendall.  After all, the message of the angels to the shepherds was, “Behold, I bring you tidings of a GREAT JOY…for to you is born this day a Savior.”

Augustine famously said that a Christian ought to be an Alleluia from head to toe.  And a famous skeptic, the nihilistic philospher Friedrich Nietzsche, once aptly complained that if Christians wanted more people to believe in their Redeemer they ought to look more like those who are amazed and thrilled that they’ve been redeemed.

As far as I could tell, this CT editorial was unsigned.  But it sounds like my friend Mark Galli, the Senior Managing Editor, whom I’m happy to say is an orthodox Anglican who worships at an AMiA church in Wheaton.  And if so, yes, he’s generally a pretty upbeat and joyful guy.

David Handy+

“Silent Night” is lovely as a post-communion hymn sung kneeling (for those with adequate lower leg mechanics) by the entire congregation. But the GREAT way to end - a tradition in my parish after dismissal - is to leave singing “Go Tell It On The Mountain” with all stops out on the organ.

I know Henry, and totally agree.  But our AC Vicar would NEVER allow it, I asked….....  So, Hark, or Joy will have to do..  Can’t get to rowdy ya know.. Might wake up the neighbors..

Grandmother

“Hark” or “Joy” will have to do???!!!

How could anyone ever, ever string those words together?

(And “Hark, the herald angels sing” sung robustly and played with all the stops pulled - which one could never do with any spiritual in the truly crashing and triumphant way that one can with a grand 19th century tune written for the organ - is more than enough to wake the neighbors!  Especially if you add brass to the mix!)