Religion

/

Health

How to be a perfect stranger

By Rabbi Marc Gellman, Tribune Content Agency on

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem

Come and behold Him

Born the King of Angels!

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

And then the big finish...

 

Christ the Lord!

So even as a young man I had problems as a Jewish kid singing the phrase, "Christ the Lord" because I did and do not believe in that central article of Christian faith. Jesus was his name, not Christ. Christ is a title not a name and it means Messiah.

So I organized a couple of my Jewish friends and we decided not to make a cause celebre out of one of the world's most famous hymns. Instead, we decided that when the verse "Christ the Lord" came along we would all just sing, "La, La, the Lord." Now remember this was the '60s, even though it was Milwaukee, and somehow word got out about Gellman's Adeste Fideles Revenge Mission. A bunch of Christian kids consequently decided to secretly join up with Gellman's La, La Warriors, though not during rehearsals.

On the evening of the concert, the choir tore into the hymn with special vigor and at the climactic verse a couple hundred Shorewood High choir members belted out, "O Come let us adore him ... La, La, the Lord!" Later on, everyone ratted me out.

I had no idea then that what I was really doing with my insouciance was preparing for this column and your question, Dear M. Who knew?

(Send ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including "Religion for Dummies," co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman.)


(c) 2019 THE GOD SQUAD DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

 

 

Comics

Rhymes with Orange Dave Whamond Adam Zyglis Fort Knox Chip Bok 1 and Done