Originally posted in Toward Bethlehem series, December 25, 2011. Merry Christmas, dear friends! How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven… Joseph And He is born. I lay Him on Mary’s chest, warm and wet and wailing, and cover them both with my […]
Israel’s strength and consolation Hope of all the earth Thou art Dear desire of every nation Joy of every longing heart Simeon I pause within the temple gates to catch my breath, wheezing slightly. The milling crowd presses about me. Lord, did I hear You aright? Through the shouts of money-changers and bleating of goats […]
Originally posted December 25, 2011. Merry Christmas, everyone! How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven… Joseph And He is born. I lay Him on Mary’s chest, warm and wet and wailing, and cover them both with my robe, and kiss her sweaty […]
Originally posted December 24, 2011 Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight… Mary So much waiting, and now everything is happening too fast. Dusty sandals hurry past me as I huddle in the street corner. Joseph settled me here when […]
Originally posted December 17, 2011 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free From our fears and sins release us Let us find our rest in Thee… Joseph Evening light glints on the soldiers’ helmets as they disappear in a cloud of dust. I stare after them. Lord, if I’d known you meant literally […]
Originally posted December 3, 2011 O come, O come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear… Micah, a young shepherd. Nights fall cold and early now. The sheep crowd near us as we huddle by the fire beneath our robes. When I lie on my […]
Originally posted December 11, 2011. Of the Father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the Source, the Ending He Mary Joseph came home tired tonight. He tries not to let me see, but I know it wears on him, the talk of Rome and taxes and blood […]
Originally posted December 5, 2011. Let all mortal flesh keep silence and with fear and trembling stand Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in His hand Christ our God to earth descendeth Our full homage to demand. This Sabbath was read in synagogue the scroll of Isaiah, the part which begins with the people walking […]
Last year during Advent, I began a series of “peeks” through the eyes of various characters present at the coming of Jesus and what they might have felt in those weeks leading Toward Bethlehem. This year, I’ll be reposting those, as well as adding new installments, starting with this one. I hope you enjoy and […]
How silently, how silentlyThe wondrous gift is givenSo God imparts to human heartsThe blessings of His heaven… Joseph And He is born. I lay Him on Mary’s chest, warm and wet and wailing, and cover them both with my robe, and kiss her sweaty hair. And we laugh through our tears, and I think I […]
