Mike Finnigan – It Came Upon A Midnight Clear –
Christmas 2022 – a Christmas of uncertainty, strife and fear. That a time of peace is shadowed by visions of war, of hate and distrust – of misplaced ideals and no god in sight. That a star of hope is what we cling to – that someday the world will breath a collective sigh of relief and that hatred will die its own miserable death, because hatred cannot and never will survive – as hate eats itself and greed collapses under its own hideous weight.
That Christmas this year is a faint glimmer – its spirit is caught up in confusion – that we’ve become so divided we can no longer see any big picture – any horizon – that we are wondering if it will work out. That our resilience is being tested – that our sadness has run unchecked.
So this year, Christmas has taken a sad turn, a cautious skyward glimpse. We are ever hopeful 2023 will be oceans better, while fearing it may be deserts worse. That we look to The Ukraine and feel helpless – that our hearts are with them, but what they need is determination – is stamina – is resolve. A well-meaning heart can’t do that – the well-meaning heart gazes helpless and prays it will be over soon and the world will be good again.
So this Christmas is different from many others – different than it was a lifetime ago when we were isolated and dying alone in sterile anonymous rooms of an illness we couldn’t imagine. We’re struggling to go back to the way it was before masks and arms-length distance, to a time that seems more distant than lightyears in retrospect.
But we never give up hope – hope there is good to come out of this – hope for understanding, for once – hope it won’t be like this forever. It won’t – I swear – it won’t.
My dear late and beloved friend Mike Finnigan sang this rendition of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear for a segment of a TV series some years back. The sentiments are just as potent and relevant today as they were Mike first sang them. He is sorely missed, but his message will always be here.
A prayer for better days – for joyous days – for peaceful days.
– Past Daily –
