Previous Posts
- December
- My Janapese Name
- Tootling in Tokyo
- A long weekend...
- A Man of Music
- The Laws of Life
- Milo
- A Thought
- Nicknames Unnicked
- Creating a website
Archives
- November 2004
- December 2004
- January 2005
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- December 2005
My Other Blogs
- My Secret Pal
- Small Pleasures
- Blog Of Joy
- Devotions
- Devotional For Graduates
- Joke Joke Joke
- Learn HTML
My Sites
My Friends
Blogs I Like
- The Good Vibes
- Alder's Journey
- From The Gunroom
- Endless Turmoil
- Wicked Stitch
- Post Your Secrets
- Ramblings of a Deranged Bunny
- Motivational Messages
- The Blurb
- The Hole
- Rants N' Raves
- No Junks
- Wyatt's Torch
- The Ward-O-Matic
- Art Smear
Humor
My Neopets
jun tan tec
Thursday, December 02, 2004
The First Christmas Tree
The fourth Sunday before Christmas is the beginning of Advent for Christians. Many fast and pray during these four weeks.
On a dark and wintry night, nearly 1,200 years ago, Winfred, the Englishman, strode into a large clearing, deep in a forest in Northern Germany. Gathered in the clearing were tribesmen who worshipped nature and made human sacrifices at the foot of a giant oak called the Blood Oak. Their high priest was holding a young boy whom he was about to sacrifice to the Norse god Thor.
As the high priest raised his stone hammer to strike, Winfred rushed across the clearing and intercepted the blow with his staff. Then, before the astonished eyes of the tribesmen, he drew forth a wooden cross and touched the giant tree. Instantly the Blood Oak split in two and crashed to the ground.
Just behind the fallen oak stood a young fir tree, pointing towards the heavens. "This little evergreen shall be your holy tree tonight," Winfred told them. "It is a sign of endless life, for its leaves are always green."
Then he told them of the birth of the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem and of the gift of love and mercy which Christ brought to all mankind.
And all who listened were filled with awe and wonder. They called the evergreen "the tree of the Christ Child" and hung gifts upon its branches. And the light of the moon made the tree sparkle until it seemed to be tangled full of stars. And hymns of thanks were sung for the Babe of Bethlehem.
On a dark and wintry night, nearly 1,200 years ago, Winfred, the Englishman, strode into a large clearing, deep in a forest in Northern Germany. Gathered in the clearing were tribesmen who worshipped nature and made human sacrifices at the foot of a giant oak called the Blood Oak. Their high priest was holding a young boy whom he was about to sacrifice to the Norse god Thor.
As the high priest raised his stone hammer to strike, Winfred rushed across the clearing and intercepted the blow with his staff. Then, before the astonished eyes of the tribesmen, he drew forth a wooden cross and touched the giant tree. Instantly the Blood Oak split in two and crashed to the ground.
Just behind the fallen oak stood a young fir tree, pointing towards the heavens. "This little evergreen shall be your holy tree tonight," Winfred told them. "It is a sign of endless life, for its leaves are always green."
Then he told them of the birth of the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem and of the gift of love and mercy which Christ brought to all mankind.
And all who listened were filled with awe and wonder. They called the evergreen "the tree of the Christ Child" and hung gifts upon its branches. And the light of the moon made the tree sparkle until it seemed to be tangled full of stars. And hymns of thanks were sung for the Babe of Bethlehem.
¶
11:59 AM
