Above:  Jesus in a Manger

Image in the Public Domain

Original Latin Text by Jean Mauburn (1450-1503), 1494

English Translation (1858) by Elizabeth Rundle Charles (1828-1876)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1940 (1943), The Episcopal Church

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Dost thou in a manger lie,

Who hast all created,

Stretching infant hands on high,

Saviour, long awaited?

If a monarch, where thy state?

Where thy court on thee to wait?

Royal purple, where?

Here no regal pomp we see;

Naught but need and penury:

Why thus cradled here?

+++++

“Pitying love for fallen man

Brought me down thus low;

For a race deep lost in sin,

Came I into woe.

By this lowly birth of mine,

Sinner, riches shall be thine,

Matchless gifts and free;

Willingly this yoke I take,

And this sacrifice I make,

Heaping joys for thee.”

+++++

Fervent praise would I to thee

Evermore be raising;

For thy wondrous love to me

Thee be ever praising.

Glory, glory be for ever

Unto that most bounteous Giver,

And that loving Lord!

Better witness to thy worth,

Purer praise than ours on earth,

Angels’ songs afford.

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Above:  Saint John and the Cup, by El Greco

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), The Episcopal Church

A hymn for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist

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O Thou, Who gav’st Thy servant grace

On Thee the living Rock to rest,

To look on Thine unveiled face,

And lean on Thy protecting breast;

+++++

Grant us, O King of mercy, still

To feel Thy presence from above,

And in Thy word and in Thy will

To hear Thy voice and know Thy love;

+++++

And when the toils of life are done,

And nature waits Thy just decree,

To find our rest beneath Thy throne,

And look in certain hope to Thee.

+++++

To Thee, O Jesus, Light of Light,

Whom as their King the saints adore,

Thou strength and refuge in the fight,

Be laud and glory evermore.

Above:  The Massacre of the Innocents, by Tintoretto

Image in the Public Domain

Original Text by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-circa 413)

English Translation by John Athelstan Laurie Riley (1858-1945)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

A hymn for the Feast of the Holy Innocents

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All hail, ye little Martyr flowers,

Sweet rosebuds cut in dawning hours!

When Herod sought the Christ to find

Ye fell as bloom before the wind.

+++++

First victims of the Martyr bands,

With crowns and palms in tender hands,

Around the very altar, gay

And innocent, ye seem to play.

+++++

What profited this great offence?

What use was Herod’s violence?

A Babe survives that dreadful day,

And Christ is safely borne away.

+++++

All honour, laud, and glory be,

O Jesu, virgin-born, to thee;

All glory, as it is ever meet

To Father and to Paraclete.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Rome, Georgia, February 14, 2016

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1872) by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. (1820-1891)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1940 Companion (1949), The Episcopal Church

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Come with us, O blessed Jesus,

With us evermore to be;

And in leaving now thine altar,

O let us not leave thee!

Let thy sweet angel chorus

Not cease their heavenly strain,

But in us, thy loving children,

Bring peace, good will to men.

+++++

Thou art God from everlasting,

God of God and Light of Light;

Thou art God, thy glory veiling,

That men may bear the sight.

Beyond these walls O follow us,

Our daily life to share,

That in us thy great and glorious light

May shine forth everywhere.

+++++

Thou art man, of Mary Virgin,

Born to-day in Bethlehem;

Thou art man, with griefs and sorrows,

And thorns for a diadem.

For ever thou art one with us,

Our life, our love divine:

Our flesh and blood art thou, Lord;

And thou hast given us thine.

+++++

Born a babe, yet our Creator;

Born a babe, yet God on high:

Born a babe, O Son of David,

Thy kingdom now is nigh.

Before thy cross victorious

O make thy foes to fall,

Till the whole world sing Hosanna,

And own thee Lord of all.

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Text (1855) by Thomas Hornblower Gill (1819-1906)

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Break, new-born year, on glad eyes break,

Melodious voices move;

On, rolling time, thou canst not make

The Father cease to love.

+++++

The parted year had winged feet;

The Saviour still doth stay:

The new year comes; but Spirit sweet,

Thou goest not away.

+++++

Our hearts in tears may oft run o’er;

But, Lord, Thy smile still beams:

Our sins are swelling evermore,

But pardoning grace still streams.

+++++

Lord, from this year more service win,

More glory, more delight:

O make its hours less sad with sin,

Its days with Thee more bright.

+++++

Then we may bless its precious things

If earthly cheer should come,

Or gladsome mount on angel wings

If Thou wouldst take us home.

+++++

O golden then the hours must be;

The year must needs be sweet;

Yes, Lord, with happy melody

Thine opening grace we greet.

Above:  Icon of the Nativity, by Andrei Rublev

Image in the Public Domain

Original Text (1540) by Jan Roh (1485/1490-1547)

English Translation (1858) by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878)

Hymn Source #1 = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Hymn Source #2 = The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal (1942), by William Gustave Polack

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Once He came in blessing

All our ills redressing,

Came in likeness lowly,

Son of God most holy;

Bore the Cross to save us,

Hope and freedom gave us.

+++++

Still He comes within us,

Still His voice would win us,

From the sins that hurt us;

Would to truth convert us,

From our foolish errors,

Ere He comes in terrors.

+++++

Thus if thou hast known Him,

Not ashamed to own Him;

Nor dost love Him coldly,

But wilt trust Him boldly;

He will now receive thee,

Heal thee, and forgive thee.

+++++

But though many a trial,

Deepest self-denial,

Long and brave endurance,

Must thou win assurance

That His own makes thee,

And no more forsakes thee.

+++++

He, who well endureth,

Bright reward secureth;

Come then, O Lord Jesus,

From our sins release us;

Let us here confess Thee,

Till in heaven we bless Thee.

Above:  Diocesan Confirmation, the Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, Georgia, December 14, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

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VERSION #1

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Original German Text (1653) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

English Translation (1851) by Arthur Tozer Russell (1806-1874)

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1.  How shall I meet my Saviour?

How shall I welcome Thee?

What manner of behavior

Is now required of me?

I wait for my salvation;

Grant me Thy Spirit’s light;

Thus will my preparation

Be pleasing in Thy sight.

2.  While with her sweetest flowers

Thy Zion strews Thy way,

I’ll raise with all my powers

To Thee a grateful lay;

To Thee, the King of glory,

I’ll tune a song divine,

And make Thy love’s bright story

In graceful members shine.

3.  Love caused Thine incarnation;

Love brought Thee down to me;

Thy thirst for my salvation

Procured my liberty;

O love beyond all telling,

That led Thee to embrace,

In love all excelling,

Our lost and fallen race!

4.  Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted,

Who sit in deepest gloom,

Who mourn o’er joys departed,

And tremble at your doom;

He Who alone can cheer you

Is standing at the door;

He brings His pity near you

And bids you weep no more.

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VERSION #2

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

Original German Text (1653) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

English Translation (1851) by Arthur Tozer Russell (1806-1874)

Altered English Translation (1963) by Edward Timothy Mickey, Jr. (1908-1986)

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1.  How shall I meet my Saviour?

How shall I truly welcome Thee?

What manner of behavior

Is by love required of me?

I wait for Thy salvation;

Grant me, O Lord, Thy Spirit’s light;

And may my preparation

Be well accepted in Thy sight.

2.  While with her sweetest flowers

Thy waiting Zion strews Thy way,

I’ll raise with all my powers,

Saviour, to Thee a grateful lay;

To Thee, the King of glory,

My heart will tune a song divine

And make Thy love’s bright story

Through me in living witness shine.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Nativity, by Sandro Botticelli

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

(My lead, The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, contains an altered translation.)

Words (circa 1816) by John Cawood (1775-1852)

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1.  Hark! what mean those holy voices,

Sweetly warbling in the skies?

Sure the angelic host rejoices,

Loudest alleluias rise.

2.  Listen to the wondrous story,

Which they chant in hymns of joy:

“Glory to God in the highest, glory;

Glory be to God Most High!

3.  “Peace on earth, good-will from heaven,

Reaching far as man is found;

Souls redeemed, and sins forgiven;

Loud our golden harps shall sound.

4.  “Christ is born, the great Anointed;

Heaven and earth His glory sing:

Glad receive whom God appointed

For your Prophet, Priest, and King.

5.  “Hasten, mortals, to adore Him;

Learn His Name, and taste His joy;

Till in heaven you sing before Him,

Glory be to God Most High!”

6.  Let us learn the wondrous story

Of our great Redeemer’s birth,

Spread the brightness of His glory,

Till it cover all the earth.

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal (1880), Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States (1818-1930)

(The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, contains an altered translation.)

Original German Words (1597) by Cyriacus Schneegass (1546-1597)

English Translation (1880) by August Crull (1845-1923)

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1.  O Lord, our Father, thanks to Thee

In this new year we render,

For Thou hast been from misery

And evil our defender;

Thro’ all the year that hath now fled

Hast given us our daily bread,

And peace within our borders.

2.  Lord Jesus Christ, our thanks to Thee

In this new year we render;

For Thou still rulest zealously

Thy fold, with mercies tender;

Thou hast redeemed us with Thy blood,

Thou art our Joy, our only Good,

In life and death our Savior.

3.  Lord Holy Ghost, our thanks to Thee

In this new year we render,

For by Thy grace it is that we

Preserve Thy Word’s pure splendor;

Thou hast infused, Lord, from above

Into our hearts true faith and love,

And other Christian virtues.

4.  Our faithful God, we cry to Thee;

Still bless us with Thy favor,

Blot out our iniquity,

And hide our sins forever.

Grant us a happy, good new year

And when the hours of death draw near,

A blest departure.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter, Atlanta, Georgia, December 10, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1916 (1918), Episcopal Church

Words (1882) by John Julian (1839-1913)

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1.  Hark! the voice eternal,

Robed in majesty,

Calling into beginning

Earth and sea and sky;

Hark! in countless numbers

All the angel throng

Hail creation’s morning

With one burst of song

High regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

2.  Bright the world and glorious,

Calm both earth and sea,

Noble in its grandeur

Stood man’s purity;

Came the great transgression,

Came the saddening fall,

Death and desolation

Breathing over all.

Still in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

3.  Long the nations waited,

Through the troubled night,

Looking, longing, yearning,

For the promised light,

Prophets saw the morning

Breaking far away,

Minstrels sang the splendour

Of that opening day.

Whilst sang the splendour

Of that opening day.

Whilst in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigned the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

4.  Brightly dawned the Advent

Of the new-born King,

Joyously the watchers

Heard the angels sing.

Sadly closed the evening

Of His hallowed life,

As the noontide darkness

Veiled the last dread strife.

Lo! again in glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reigns the King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

5.  Lo! again He cometh,

Robed in clouds of light,

As the Judge eternal,

Armed with power and might

Nations to His footstool

Gathered then shall be;

Earth shall yield her treasures,

And her dead, the sea.

Till the trumpet soundeth,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, Thou King immortal,

Holy, infinite.

6.  Jesus! Lord and Master,

Prophet, Priest, and King,

To Thy feet, triumphant,

Hallowed praise we bring.

Thine the pain and weeping,

Thine the victory;

Power, and praise, and honour,

Be, O Lord, to Thee.

High in regal glory,

‘Mid eternal light,

Reign, O King immortal,

Holy, infinite.