Opinion

By Mike Ruffin

I was born in 1958, so most of my childhood occurred during the 1960s.

Each Christmas Day in that decade followed a set schedule.

First, I would wake up very early in our little house on Memorial Drive in Barnesville. The house rule was that I had to wake my parents up before going into the living room to see what Santa Claus had brought me. This was so my father could arm himself with his Brownie 8mm movie camera, equipped with its panel of spotlights, to film the spectacle. We would then enter the place of wonder, where I would receive the first installment of my Christmas bounty.

Second, we would get dressed and go to the home of whichever Abbott was hosting my mother’s family’s Christmas celebration. If we were hosting it, we’d get dressed and stay home. After enjoying a delicious Christmas lunch, we’d open presents, and I would receive the second installment of my Christmas bounty. [Full Story »] 

Coming up in the public school system in Savannah many, many moons ago, I got a strong base education in Latin. It was referred to as a ‘dead language’ then and it has certainly flatlined now - gone the way of cursive writing.

I was able to master Latin somewhat but cursive writing? Not so much. I cannot read my own handwriting after a couple hours so I have my own code - unbreakable by anyone, including me.

But back to Latin. It steps to the forefront at Christmas. I love to watch the Christmas mass from the Vatican with all the ceremonial flourishes, the processionals and swinging incense. The readings are in Latin and, though I cannot understand them, the language adds weight and credence to the importance of the birth of Jesus Christ. [Full Story »] 

By Mike Ruffin

The church is in the middle of the Advent season. The word Advent means “arrival.” During Advent, we anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ.

There are four Sundays of Advent. The fourth and last one is the Sunday before Christmas Day. So Advent is a season to anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ in his birth, which we celebrate on December 25, the first day of the twelve days of the Christmas season.

Jesus was born 2,000 years ago, so we aren’t actually waiting for him to be born. We are rather waiting for our celebration of his birth.

On the other hand, we might keep in mind the prayer request in the Christmas hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem”: “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.”
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