Forty days have passed since Christmas Day, and that means it is the last day of Christmastide. Which means that there’s no better way to celebrate than listening to Christmas carols for one last time until next year.
In modern times it has become common to criticize “triumphalism”. (Wikipedia definition: Triumphalism is the attitude or belief that a particular doctrine, religion, culture, or social system is superior to and should triumph over all others.) Yeah, well… heck with that. Call me a triumphalist. I think we should scream from the rooftops the superiority of Christian culture, and frequently exhibit its past greatness, and make it present again today. What is there to be ashamed of?
It’s been said — correctly — that the pipe organ is the second-greatest musical instrument, second only to the human voice. The pipe organ is another one of Europe’s great artistic achievements, and when employed with vigor, lifts our souls with a sense of joy and victory that is truly proper for the Christian. When your feet feel the vibrations in the floor, you know you’re dealing with serious business.
So enjoy some nice pipe organ to close out the season:
Westminster Abbey’s stunning Gothic architecture reminds us of the importance of aesthetics in worship and culture. The first church was built here in the 7th century, and this particular building dates back to the 13th century. This was back when our ancestors believed that building grand, beautiful churches took precedence over building multi-million dollar sports stadiums. The church was originally a Catholic church — as all were back in that time — and became an Anglican church after King Henry VIII completely lost his mind and stole it. Perhaps some day it will be restored for its proper use.