Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 49

The Infant of Prague – Warrior for Our Times

I have to admit that the Infant of Prague was one of those Catholic devotions that was not immediately accessible to me as a convert. “Help me out here. What’s with Jesus dressed up as a baby doll?” But some time ago I had an experience that made me realize that the Infant Jesus–and especially [Read More...]

The Slaughter of the Innocents Today

Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents and it is one of the most heart wrenchingly relevant of all of the church’s feasts. With great and terrible irony we see in the slaughter of the Holy Innocents the wrath of the world against the gift of God. God gives the gift of his Son–an [Read More...]

Anglican Priest Smears the Virgin Mary

Just when you thought the Anglicans couldn’t stoop much lower, in a disgusting article published, predictably, on Christmas Eve, Anglican priest-journalist Giles Fraser not only publicly denies the Virgin Birth, but he ridicules the idea, proposes that the Blessed Virgin Mary was just another teen fornicator and that it’s probably a good thing that Jesus [Read More...]

Watching St Joseph

Gentlemen who are reading, for Christmas Day make it your point to meditate in the midst of the jollity on the patience, purity and prudence of St Joseph. My latest article at Those Catholic Men website points us to St Joseph, the model of masculinity. “It’s no mistake” I said to Mike, “that every Catholic [Read More...]

Have a Very English Christmas

My article at Imaginative Conservative for Christmas Day is a celebration of all thing British for the holidays. Having spent twenty-five years of my life in “the damp lands,” I can affirm that while the Americans cannot be beat for Thanksgiving, the English cannot be beat for Christmas. Yes, it is true. The dour snobs [Read More...]

Once in Royal David’s City…

For two years as a young Anglican priest I had the privilege of serving as chaplain to Kings’ College Cambridge Choir School. This is the prep school where the choristers of the famous Kings College choir are educated. It was my job to help mentor and chaperone them as well as teach religion and English. [Read More...]

Ten Reasons Why Atheists Should Celebrate Christmas

Sometimes I hear Christians grumbling about atheists celebrating Christmas. So they’re hypocrites. Big deal. Aren’t you? In thinking it through, there are good reasons why Christmas matters for atheists and for everyone. If they don’t realize why it matters, maybe the prominence of the season will  make some of them stop and think twice and [Read More...]

God is With Us. Do Not Be Afraid

My latest blog post at National Catholic Register tries to calm you down in the midst of the Christmas rush. Whew! Have you encountered the shopping mall, main street and the Christmas rush? There is a kind of panicked grasping after material happiness. Not only do we want to pack the tree with goodies, we want [Read More...]

What’s Wrong with Santa?

From the Christmas archives comes this article at the Imaginative Conservative in which I ask what’s good, bad and indifferent about Santa Claus. Some time ago a pastor friend of mine incurred the wrath of a squadron of militant mama bears when he preached at a school service against Santa—calling him a “fat pagan elf.” [Read More...]

My Christmas Gift to Jesus

Every year my Baptist neighbor puts a sign in his front yard, “Keep Christ in Christmas” and I’m tempted to get a sign for my front yard which says, “Keep Mass in Christmas”. Despite the un-ecumenical impulse, I agree with my neighbor’s yearly cliche. Furthermore, this Christmas I’m feeling that keeping Christ in Christmas isn’t [Read More...]