October 21

"And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and  saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:13-14

I have read that on the shores of the Adriatic sea the wives of fishermen, whose husbands have gone far upon the deep, are in the habit of going down to the seashore at night and singing the first verse of some beautiful hymn. After they have sung it they listen until they hear brought on the wind across the sea the second verse sung by their brave husbands - and both are happy.

Perhaps, if we would listen, we too might hear in this storm-tossed world of ours, some sound, some whisper, borne from afar to tell us there is a heaven which is our home; and when we sing our hymns upon the shores of the earth, perhaps we may hear their sweet echoes breaking in music upon the sands of time, and cheering the hearts of those who are pilgrims and strangers along the way.