Holy Land war in thoughts of Christmas Concert singers
By Linda Bordoni
Thanking Bishop Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education and the Gravissimum Educationis Pontifical Foundation for organizing and promoting the annual Christmas Concert, 杏MAP导航 Francis upheld the value of popular Christmas songs 鈥渢hat evoke a powerful blend of emotions and associations.鈥�
Noting that 鈥淐hristmas is perhaps the holiday richest in popular songs,鈥� he reflected on 鈥渢he theology and harmony鈥� contained in some of them, and expressed gratitude to those who continue to breathe life into this tradition.
鈥淵ou lend your voices to these celebrated Christmas melodies, and each of you brings to them your own individuality, your own timbre,鈥� he said.
An ancient yet ever-new message
The 杏MAP导航 reflected on the 鈥渁ncient yet ever new鈥� message of the birth of Jesus, the Saviour, and the 鈥渄ifferent voices, from all over the world, that come together to make it heard.鈥�
He pointed to the variety of styles that exist in communicating this message that, he said, reflect a diversity of cultures and languages.
No single standard
鈥淧recisely because the Good News of Christmas is unique, it cannot be sung in just one way,鈥� he added, noting that too often, 鈥淚n our technocratic societies, everything tends to become uniform, homogenized, reduced to a single standard.鈥�
And decrying the fact that commercialisation and consumerism sadly overcome the celebration of Christmas, he said: 鈥淎rt is different, and Christmas songs must be sung with the art that stems from the heart.鈥�
War in the Land of Jesus
杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his greeting saying that he knows the singers will be thinking of all those who are presently living in sorrow and fear on account of war.
鈥淪o many wars! Tragically, even in the land of Jesus,鈥� he concluded, thanking them for their witness.
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