It is always a pleasure to walk into the Acton Building, but more so in December. There is a holiday gleam about the place: the crèche is prominently displayed, the lights on the tree shine, and silver and gold glisten throughout the halls. In the kitchen, one can usually find some goodies to be shared.
While the good folks at Acton enjoy a bit of "down time" during this time of year, we still remain busy. We are looking forward to the imminent publication of two new monographs, one on human trafficking and one on consumerism. Our events calendar for 2015 is beginning to fill with lectures from scholars such as Arthur Brooks and George Weigel. Although Acton University is months away, we are already registering people, setting agendas, and planning courses.
It is easy to become overwhelmed with "busyness" during the holidays. Apparently, this was the case in 1816 as well. That is when a young Irishman by the name of James Montgomery wrote the lovely hymn, Angels from the Realms of Glory. One of the verses reads:
Sages, leave your contemplations, Brighter visions beam afar; Seek the great Desire of Nations; Ye have seen his natal star.
Montgomery was the son of Moravian Irish missionaries who died when he was a child. He loved writing and eventually became the editor of a newspaper in Sheffield, England. As an Irishman in England, he certainly knew what it was to be an outsider. The experience seemed to have sharpened his senses to oppression; he used his newspaper to write about social and moral injustice. He was an early abolitionist and left behind a legacy of hymns and poetry.
No one at the Acton Institute is writing hymns (so far as I know), but we do our best to look critically at important religious, economic, and social policy issues. Our staff works hard to bring the best information, books, critiques, speakers, and events to you; you may then educate yourself on issues you care deeply about.
That being said, I believe we should take a page from James Montgomery: Sages, leave your contemplations. It is good to set aside our day-to-day work, regardless of its importance, and set our hearts and minds on the great Desire of Nations. Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year.
Sincerely,
Rev. Robert Sirico, President
