We are a week away from Christmas -- when we celebrate God sharing with us the best gift humanity could ever receive -- God coming to dwell among us in human form, so we could experience God’s love for us, and all humanity. On this day, we not only celebrate the birth of Christ, but are also reminded of the gifts of hope, love, joy and peace that Christ shares with this world. We too celebrate this season, by sharing -- recognizing what God has shared with us -- God’s self in human form. 

This week on Wednesday, bell hooks passed away at the age of 69. bell hooks (who preferred their name not be capitalized) was an American scholar and activist whose work examined the connections between race, gender, and class. They often explored the varied perceptions of Black women and Black women writers and the development of feminist identities. Their work has shaped my perceptions of social justice, as well as many other people's. They will be missed.

I realize that the last time I did a German word it was...also not a very nice one, and I promise that next time I use German it will be a more fun word, because it really is, despite its reputation for harshness, a very beautiful language. But that is next time; this time, the word is weltschmerz. It is an amalgamation of the words for 'world' and 'pain', meaning the sense of weariness and hurt that one gets from thinking about the state of the world. It was coined by an author, Jean Paul, in 1827, in a novel he wrote, and ended up entering the common vernacular.