FESTINA LENTE!
4 th Sunday of Advent (C) December 23, 2012 FESTINA LENTE! An ancient Latin aphorism that sounds like an oxymoron says: Festina Lente! It means “Make haste slowly.” How does one make haste? How does one does so but ever so slowly? How does one stop a rampaging Christmas season now at its climax, with excitement ready to explode any time now, at least for children who have things to look forward to? How does one look forward to Christmas at this time of year (the second in as many years) when thousands still lay desolate, despairing and dying (if not dead) in the typhoon ravaged areas of Mindanao in the Philippines? Yes, I am wondering how on earth we can stop something we have taken for granted all our lives. And no! I am not about to stop you from celebrating Christmas. Please do. Please go along with the news of glad tidings that the angels brought to lowly smelly shepherds of yore. Please walk together with the Magi in honest sear...