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themillenne ws .com
The Millen News
Page 9 - Wednesday, December 22, 2021
A Christmas Angel
-Joe Brady
themillennews@gmail.com
Today a loyal reader sent this
story into the news office. This
probably sums up the holiday
season and what Christmas is
truly all about. “This morning,
as we stood in line to pay for
our groceries, Larry realized
he had left his wallet at home.
The cashier told me to put our
Christmas Eve & Christmas
Day groceries back in the
cart to ring up later, instead
of continuing to ring and then
suspending the sale until we
could mn home and back.
The lady in front of us was
walking out of the store when
she returned with her cart and
insisted the cashier continue
to ring up our groceries, that
she was paying for them, even
though I explained the only
problem was a forgotten wallet.
She refused to hear me protest
that I had a lot of groceries. She
refused to back down, to share
her kindness with someone
truly needy. She refused to give
me her contact information
so I could reimburse her. She
just said, several times, "It's
Christmas ..."
So now I'm standing here
crying because of a stranger's
gift, waiting for Larry to come
back.
I don't know who the lady in
the navy blue sweater with Joy!
across the front of it is, but I
pray that her holiday season is
filled with blessings, happiness-
and Joy.”
Spend
Christmas
Eve with St.
Michael’s
The public is cordially invited to attend
Christmas Eve Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.
There will be a reception immediately
following the service. St. Michael’s
is the little white church by the park
on Liberty Street in Waynesboro.
Sunday services are held at 10:30
a.m. Wednesday book study is held
at 6 p.m. If you wish to learn more
about St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
please visit their Facebook page or
call the church office at 706-554-3465.
Merry Christmas
CjooA Kjng W ences ! as
Sam Eades, Writer
One Christmas carol that is
very rarely sang is "Good King
Wenceslas". It is a Christmas
carol that tells a story of a
Bohemian king going on a
journey and braving harsh
winter weather to give alms to
a poor peasant on the Feast of
Stephen which was celebrated
on December 26, the Second
Day of Christmas.
During the journey, his page
is about to give up the struggle
against the cold weather, but
is enabled to continue by
following the king's footprints,
step for step, through the deep
snow. The legend is based
on the life of the historical
Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of
Bohemia (907-935). The name
Wenceslas is a Latin version of
Old Czech name, "Venceslav".
In 1853, English hymn writer
John Mason Neale wrote the
"Wenceslas" lyric, in
collaboration with his
music editor Thomas
Helmore, and the carol
first appeared in Carols
for Christmas-Tide,
published by Novello
& Co the same year.
Neale's lyric was set to
the melody of 13th-
century spring carol
“Easter Time Has
Come” first published in
the 1582.
Wenceslas was
considered a martyr and
a saint immediately after
his death in the 10th
century, when a cult of
Wenceslas rose up in Bohemia
and in England. Within a few
decades of Wenceslas's death,
four biographies of him were
in circulation. These had a
powerful influence on the High
Middle Ages of a "righteous
king"—that is, a monarch
whose power stems mainly
from his great piety, as well as
from his princely vigor.
But his deeds I think you
know better than I could tell
you; for, as is read in his
Passion, no one doubts that,
rising every night from his
noble bed with bare feet and
only one chamberlain as he
went around to God's churches
and gave alms generously to
widows, orphans, those in
prison and afflicted by every
difficulty was wonderful
deeds. So much so that he was
considered, not a prince, but the
father of all the wretched.
Sheet music of "Good King
Wenceslas" has been preserved
in an old biscuit container from
1913 at the Victoria and Albert
Museum.
Good King Wenceslas looked
out
On the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that
night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gathering winter fuel
Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou knowst it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league
hence.
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh and bring me
wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I shall see him dine
When we bear them thither.
Page and monarch, forth they
went
Forth they went together
Through the rude winds wild
lament
And the bitter weather
Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know
not how
I can go no longer.
Mark my footsteps,
good my page
Tread thou in them
boldly
Thou shall find the
winters rage
Freeze thy blood less
coldly.
In his masters step he
trod
Where the snow lay
dinted
Heat was in the very
sod
Which the Saint had
printed
Therefore, Christian men, be
sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
^Fiom November 27. December 2S
TTnW.VJIi
I
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