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Article: God brings us out of exile.(CHRISTMAS: REFLECTIONS)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- December 26, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 National Catholic Reporter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The line "Who mourns in lonely exile here," from the antiphon "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," ran in my mind and heart throughout Advent. Its haunting melody at once evokes loneliness and longing. It expresses exile, an isolation that runs so deep it seems that no human presence can bring any comfort. That such a profoundly personal experience is attributed to the group of people we know as Israel never ceases to fascinate and move me--especially since I have been restless with loneliness and longing for most of my life.
My own personal mourning in lonely exile is in many ways a repercussion of a lifelong battle with depression. I remember being caught in the throes ...