why dave bergman is neat

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his [a] holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion [b] like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks [c]
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits [d] enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

The sixth verse of the carol 'The First Noel' complements this passage well:

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought
And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!

How can you expect mercy for yourself and still be so unjust to your brother? Is it so much to expect you to forgive a sinner when Christ Himself prayed to His Father for those who crucified Him? Is it so difficult to be told not to strike back at the brother whom you are commanded to love? Are you really qualified to punish someone who hurts you? Let pity and not a desire to punish motivate you in your dealing with those who have harmed you.

(Erasmus, from Enchiridion Militis Christiani, as translated by John P. Dolan)

How peaceful is the calm of a modest and private life as compared to the lives of those powerful people always in the public eye. How difficult for the celebrity to keep his two feet on the ground and not fall on the slippery path. How difficult to keep perspective. The higher the pedestal, the more devastating the fall. Every honor brings responsibility with it. God’s judgment will fall more severely on those who grab in all directions for honor, knocking everyone else out of the way. His mercy comes more easily to those who realize their weaknesses. Those who set themselves apart to receive honor from men also set themselves apart from the men who receive God’s special graces. Follow Christ’s example. According to the way men think, who was ever more despised and lower than Christ? He fled every honor offered Him–He was above honor. He accepted scorn riding on an ass. Recall to yourself the robe and the crown of thorns and how He was condemned. Recall the horrible way He chose to die. He scorned the world, but He was glorified by the Father. Christ’s Cross will be your salvation–let the Cross be your honor. What good are honors if angels curse you and God looks in the other direction when you pass?

(Erasmus, from Enchiridion Militis Christiani, as translated by John P. Dolan)

Here's some more stuff from recently. I was going to write up some little comments, but (obviously) didn't. Maybe I'll get to that later.

Calvin, John. Antidote to the Sixth Session of the Council of Trent on the Doctrine of Justification (1547).

Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church.

The Council of Trent: The Sixth Session: The canons and decrees of the sacred
and oecumenical Council of Trent. Trans. J. Waterworth (London: Dolman, 1848), 30-53.

Dylan, Bob. Chronicles: Volume One.

Erasmus. Enchiridion Militis Christiani (‘The Handbook of the Christian Soldier’). Trans. John P. Dolan.

Forster, E.M. A Room With a View.

Michlethwaite, John, and Adrian Wooldridge. The Right Nation.

John 1:14-18
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Isaiah 42
The Servant of the Lord
1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.

3 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope."

5 This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:

6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,

7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

8 "I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.

9 See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you."