On this day in 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe, 101st Airborne, rejected a German demand for surrender, writing “Nuts!” in his official reply. You can read the story of the demand and the reply here.
Local Tampa and friend, Fred Karl, was a tank commander in the Battle.
In the season of Advent and Christmas, we will hear a lot about Mary, the mother of Jesus. We’ll hear about her obedience, her purity, her faith, her consent. We’ll see her in outdoor Nativity displays, draped in blue, with downcast eyes and a beatific smile. We’ll enjoy watching our children dramatize her story in “virtual pageants” on Christmas Eve. We’ll honor her legacy with some of the most beloved prayers, liturgies, and carols we know. All of it true and right. But this morning let us consider Mary, the prophet. Mary, the voice of the downtrodden. Mary, the singer of the Magnificat, God’s gorgeous justice song.
friarmusings 