November 15/28, 2023
Commencement of Advent & the Nativity Fast

Celebrated my birthday this past weekend. The older I get, the more I long for the kind of birthday presents that involve making memories instead of collecting things. Been going a lot lately to free concerts held at nearby Boston colleges and universities. A quick online search came up blank for colleges holding events as campuses are mostly closed for Thanksgiving Day weekend. So I searched next for concerts at the iconic Boston Symphony Orchestra and came upon a great Boston holiday tradition– Handel’s Messiah performed by the Handel and Haydn Society. I usually prefer the standard abridged version of the Messiah performed by amateur choirs in area churches especially as these performances are often sung as part of worship services and invite congregants to sing along during the chorus parts. This time, though, H+H’s unabridged 3.5 hour long professional performance seemed like the perfect way to spend my birthday money. And it was more and not less divine though it was not sung at a church. It carried its usual power to transform hearts and minds towards the Kingdom of Heaven.