A Christmas Prayer

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin and enter in;

Be born in us today!

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Emmanuel!

--Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

 

Break Forth, O Beauteous, Heavenly Light

Break forth, O beauteous, heavenly light,

And usher in the morning;

O shepherds, greet that glorious sight,

Our Lord a crib adorning.

This child, this little helpless boy,

Shall be our confidence and joy,

The power of Satan breaking,

Our peace eternal making.

--Johann Rist (1607-1667);

   anonymous English translation from the German 

Winter Solstice

Winter began with the solstice today at 5:02 A.M. eastern standard time. Here is an untitled poem that American poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) wrote about the winter solstice.

These are the days that Reindeer love

And pranks the Northern star --

This is the Sun's objective,

And Finland of the Year.

This poem is in the public domain.

Found Poem from a Letter by Emily Dickinson

A letter from Elizabeth Holland (Mrs. J. G. Holland) to American poet Emily Dickinson and her sister jointly, in 1877, called forth this protest. This is a found poem of mine from Emily's letter to Mrs. J. G. Holland.

A mutual plum is not a plum.

I was too respectful

to take the pulp

and do not like a stone.

Send no union letters.

The soul must go by Death alone,

so, it must by life,

if it is a soul.

If a committee --

no matter.

Source: Letters by Emily Dickinson, selected and edited by Emily Fragos (copyright 2011 by Everyman's Library) 

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 7)

Every day this week, starting on Advent Sunday, I have posted one of the seven stanzas of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Yesterday I posted stanza 6 of that hymn. Here is the seventh and final stanza of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." To read an article about that hymn, click here.

O come, Desire of Nations, bind

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid thou our sad divisions cease,

And be thyself our King of Peace.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 6)

Yesterday I posted the fifth of the seven stanzas of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Here is stanza 6 of that hymn. Tomorrow I will post stanza 7.

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 5)

Yesterday I posted the fourth of the seven stanzas of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Here is stanza 5 of that hymn. Tomorrow I will post stanza 6.

O come, thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 4)

Here is stanza 4 of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Tomorrow I will post the fifth of this hymn's seven stanzas.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell thy people save,

And give them victory o'er the grave.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (stanza 3)

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." So reads in part Isaiah 7:14 in the English Standard Version of the Bible. Here is stanza 3 of the ninth-century Latin hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," a Christian hymn for Advent and Christmas, translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Tomorrow I will post stanza 4 of this Latin hymn.

O come, o come, thou Lord of Might,

Who to thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times did give thy Law,

In cloud and majesty and awe.

          Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

          Shall come to thee, O Israel.