Sunday, February 16, 2025
#CC17

#CC17: Glória in excélsis Deo!

When I first started planning this year’s Countdown, I knew I wanted to bring it to an end with this beautiful version of Angels We Have Heard On High.

It is a video I came across part-way through last year’s Countdown and would have featured, but I felt its rightful place was as the finale – and I had already prepared that post so held it over to this year.

Knowing how the Countdown was going to end, it was a really beautiful feeling in Church yesterday morning when this was one of the hymns chosen to lead the Christmas Eve worship. And it is, clearly, apt for the task.

It is a powerful reminder of why we celebrate Christmas: remembering the birth of the son of God, who He sent to walk with us and, ultimately, to die to save us.

Whilst the presents and the turkey (and possibly the alcohol, if you are that way inclined) may make this the happiest day of the year, knowing God and accepting Christ into our lives also brings us joy today and all through the year.

Glória in excélsis Deo, glory to God in the highest, indeed!

As it is Christmas, I am also presenting a second video today, for my Catalan followers. It is no less symbolic of the meaning of the day, and recalls the events 2,000 years ago that brought, and continue to bring, people like me across the world closer to God.

Whilst I would love to follow this with a personal message for my Catalan followers, I will save it for next year, by which time I will have (finally!) published my Catalan blog. Instead, I will simply direct those to whom this applies to a tweet I sent yesterday afternoon:

Whatever you are doing, however you are celebrating Christmas, and whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas, un gran Bon Nadal, and I hope and pray that all your hopes and dreams for the season may be granted.

See you in 2018!

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