As Christmas 2012 draws to a close, the Lord has granted us the vision of a white Christmas, the magic of a clear, starlit night, and the crisp cold of a true winter’s evening.  The night calls out for a clarion of eternal beauty, a little gift of perfection to mark this Christmas.  One is found in the oldest North American Christmas carol known to still be performed today.  The Huron Carol  or Jesus Ahatonhia was written in 1643 in the region now ascribed to Canada by Jean De Brebeuf, a Jesuit Missionary then living with one of the native aborginal peoples of the Canada of the 17th century, the Huron tribe.

A celebration of Christ’s birth, it rings in the beautiful clarity of three languages -Huron, French, and English – to bring a special sanctity to the miracle of the Christ child. As this beautiful night closes, a special prayer for health good tidings and best wishes to all my family, friends, and fellow ramparteers through the words and music of Jean Brebeuf.  Merry Christmas.