Echoes and Moments

This year was a pretty good one for music, so far as I've noticed. While well known media outlets like NPR and Paste have published lists of their favorite albums, and as I await lists from other prominent sources , I've collected my top ten albums after a careful accumulation of music from a variety of sources. Yes, I discovered some of these artists as a breath of fresh air, new sonic territories carving paths into territory yet uncharted. Others I appreciate for their lyricism, or the particular nuances of emotion that an artist can convey through their voice, tone, and timbre. Some are new offerings from old favorites. You'll notice I don't organize the music apart from the entire work. I could make a list of songs, singles, or even new artists that I've enjoyed this year. But I am a firm believer in the album format, and despite my love of creating mixtapes to travel with me in my pickup, it is still the medium that most comprehensively captures the essen...

This Sunday ushered in a new liturgical year, where the Church gathers to await the celebration of the coming King with the season of Advent. We call this season "advent" from the Latin adventus , meaning "coming." It is a time to await the Nativity of the Lord, a celebration usually called Christmas here in the West, but also the watch in hope and longing for his second coming. In my tradition this is a season of taking stock, of penance, giving, and reflection. We have the chance to address our need for the Savior, and, as the days shorten and darkness creeps into the corners of our existence, we tend to the flicker of hope that dawns within us. In this time we may see familiar symbols to serve as guideposts along the journey: advent wreaths, candles, special music, and the muted colors of purple and blue to adorn our altars and vestments. For me it is the encroaching darkness and cold that offers the most stark reminder of the season's offerings. Philee...