From the Wall Street Journal

In Hoc Anno Domini
Vermont Royster's annual Christmas message.

This editorial was written in 1949 by the late Vermont Royster and has been published annually since.

When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.

Everywhere there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long. Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the centurions saw that it was so.

But everywhere there was something else, too. There was oppression--for those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flax from the spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?

There was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a crowded world?

Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.

And the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And he sent this gospel of the Kingdom of Man into the uttermost ends of the earth.

So the light came into the world and the men who lived in darkness were afraid, and they tried to lower a curtain so that man would still believe salvation lay with the leaders.

But it came to pass for a while in divers places that the truth did set man free, although the men of darkness were offended and they tried to put out the light. The voice said, Haste ye. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Along the road to Damascus the light shone brightly. But afterward Paul of Tarsus, too, was sore afraid. He feared that other Caesars, other prophets, might one day persuade men that man was nothing save a servant unto them, that men might yield up their birthright from God for pottage and walk no more in freedom.

Then might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands and there would be a burning of books and men would think only of what they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to new Caesars and to false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men would not look upward to see even a winter's star in the East, and once more, there would be no light at all in the darkness.

And so Paul, the apostle of the Son of Man, spoke to his brethren, the Galatians, the words he would have us remember afterward in each of the years of his Lord:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Ouch

Just a few hours ago I decided to go for a run outside. I bundled up with Underarmour and all and went out along the same circle around my neighborhood that I've ran for years. Halfway through I tripped along an uneven part of the sidewalk and fell.

I felt my face grind along the sidewalk concrete as I slid to a halt.

I didn't feel anything immediately but as I got up I saw my blood drip down from my face and dot the sidewalk.

My upper lip is pretty swollen right now and I really hope this doesn't leave a nasty scar on my face. It looks like a chunk is missing...

Home again

Wow I'm pretty bad at updating. Its so odd. I only left NYC earlier this morning and yet it feels like its already been 2 days since I left. Such an odd feeling. I can only imagine how winter break is going to feel in the coming days. It seems like such a short stint and yet it probably will feel like an eternity. Best to come up with a list of stuff to do!

1. Get back in shape: My little sister told me that my face got rounder o_0

2. Read: I actually have time to read for leisure? That's unbelievable

3. Study: say wha? Yeah I should probably brush up on Chinese so that I can break my A- streak.

4. Try cooking some stuff: Still trying to perfect my nacho dip recipe and I think it would be nice to equip myself with some other recipes for the upcoming semester. My default meal during this whole past semester was spaghetti. Perhaps that had something to do with the formulation of goal 1.

5. Other: Who knows what else I could do? Maybe I'll take a stab at crocheting, start drawing again, or maybe even make a genuine attempt to make that mini movie I've been contemplating aboot.

I guess I should say something about this past semester. It was...interesting. Probably one of the most busiest ones yet. I was asked shortly before I left NYC what year of college I liked the best so far. I really couldn't answer that question since every year had its downsides but also its amazing redeeming qualities that make the downsides seem like little picky insignificant things. This semester was no different. You live and you learn. And you pray. And love. And there's a whole new semester right around the corner. But for now I'm going to enjoy the much needed rest.

Awesome.