Light

In the beginning –

      Light spread across the cosmos at His Word. 

         Lightnings flashed from Mount Sinai at His presence. 

In Bethlehem –

      A child born – Eternal Light wrapped in flesh and swaddled –

         His mother’s eyes twinkled at His smile.

      A Son given – Eternal Light embraced by mortality and death –  

         Hell stared in terror before His consuming flame.

In the land of shadows –

      The people who stumbled in darkness rejoiced

         As the great Light shone. 

The nutcracker (photographed 2022) on this year’s card is part of Cullman’s Christkindlmarkt. This is one of the twin nutcrackers, approximately fifteen feet tall, that flank the gateway to the Christkindlmarkt.

The card design is by my son, Nicholas S. M. Rizzo. The season’s greeting is in German. The font is based on Bauhaus (Germany, 1919-1933) principles. His overall design is straightforward with an emphasis on negative space.