For Advent II, A Word of "Comfort"

Don't know about you, folks, but Advent is zipping by on this end – and with this year's calendar, by midweek it'll already be half over.

This scribe's been hoping to catch a breather as these days allow, if only events would make room for it... and, well, there'll be more of that this week. Still, as January's currently expected to bring the all-important appointment to Washington, while February will be headlined by the even more critical Vatican abuse summit and its run-up, it's as good a time as any to keep in mind that, as levels of news-import go, not every day is "Christmas" – but even if it's coming, there's prep needed for all that, to boot.

Anyways, with an eye to some "good news" on this Second Sunday, given the traditional focus of this weekend's readings on the prophecy of the Anointed, lest anyone can use it to reflect – or just play in the background while working on cards, lists and the like – here's Handel's Messiah in full (libretto text) for your Advent enrichment....


To one and all, every grace of these days, above all their peace and light... and here's hoping the next two weeks don't roll by too quickly.

-30-