The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
December
25th - Christmas Day
Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
as seers of old have sung.
It came a blossom bright,
amid the cold of winter,
when half spent was the night.
Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
the Rose I have in mind,
with Mary we behold it,
the Virgin Mother kind.
To show God's love aright,
she bore to us a Savior,
when half spent was the night.
O Flower, whose
fragrance tender
with sweetness fills the air,
dispel in glorious splendor
the darkness everywhere,
true man yet very God,
from sin and death now save us,
and share our every load.
John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The
same was in the beginning with God. All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made
that was made. In him was life; and the life was the
light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and
the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John. The same came
for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that
all men through him might believe. He was not that
Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and
the world was made by him, and the world knew him
not. He came unto his own, and his own received him
not. But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace and truth.
The Christ-child lay on
Mary's lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary were the world,
But here is all aright.)
The Christ-child lay on
Mary's breast
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)
The Christ-child lay on
Mary's heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world's desire.)
The Christ-child
stood on Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.
G.K.
Chesterton
Revelation 22:6-17
And he said unto me, These
sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of
the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his
servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth
the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John
saw these things, and heard them. And when I had
heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the
feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then
saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and
of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship
God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of
the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he
which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he
that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and
he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold,
I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give
every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and
the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments,
that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the city. For
without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers,
and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth
and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to
testify unto you these things in the churches. I am
the root and the offspring of David, and the bright
and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say,
Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely.
The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks;
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
Not, as of old, a little child,
to bear, and fight, and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.
The King shall
come when morning dawns
and earth's dark night is past;
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that e'er shall last;
and let the
endless bliss begin,
by weary souls foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.
The King shall come
when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings:
Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,
come quickly King of kings.
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) Dieu parmi
nous (God is with us),
the final movement of La Nativité du
Seigneur,
played by Loîc Mallié on the organ of Eglise
Saint-Sixte
