Above:  Icon of the Apocalypse of Saint John

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text by Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608)

English Translation by Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935)

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

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Wake, O wake!  with tidings thrilling

The watchman all the air are filling,

Arise, Jerusalem, arise!

Midnight strikes!  no more delaying,

“The hour has come!” we hear them saying.

Where are ye all, ye virgins wise?

The Bridegroom comes in sight,

Raise high your torches bright!  Alleluya!

The wedding song

Swells loud and strong:

Go forth and join the festal throng.

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Sion hears the watchmen shouting

Her heart leaps up with joy undoubting,

She stands and waits with eager eyes;

see her Friend from heaven descending,

Adorned with truth and grace unending!

Her light burns clear, her star doth rise.

Now come, thou precious Crown,

Lord Jesu, God’s own Son!  Hosanna!

Let us prepare

To follow there,

Where in thy supper we may share.

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Every soul in thee rejoices;

From men and from angelic voices

Be glory given to thee alone!

Now the gates of pearl receive us,

Thy presence never more shall leave us,

We stand with Angels round thy throne.

Earth cannot give below

The bliss thou dost bestow.  Alleluia!

Grant us to raise

To length of days,

The triumph-chorus of thy praise.

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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.

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First victims of the Martyr bands,

With crowns and palms in tender hands,

Around the very altar, gay

And innocent, ye seem to play.

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What profited this great offence?

What use was Herod’s violence?

A Babe survives that dreadful day,

And Christ is safely borne away.

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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 Common Ground, Atlanta, Georgia, December 24, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

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O Almighty God, who by the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ into the world

didst give the true light to dawn upon our darkness;  graciously assist us that we,

adoring the mystery of thy coming into our poor humanity,

may in thy Light see light, to the glory of thy holy Name.  Amen.

–Page 33

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Advent, Madison, Georgia, December 6, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

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Minister and Congregation

Almighty God, our heavenly father,

who didst cause light to shine out of darkness in the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to take away the sins of the world;

we humbly confess our transgressions and implore thy forgiveness.

We beseech thee that the spirit of Christ may be born anew within us,

and that we may glorify his nativity with hearts of compassion,

deeds of kindly service,

and the spirit of goodwill toward all mankind;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

–Page 29

Above:  Nativity, by Sandro Botticelli

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Charles E. W. Harvey (1846-1922), a layman of the Moravian Church in America and an insurance man of Brooklyn, New York

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

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Light of the world, come nigh and bless

Thy children here below,

Who in Thy house Thy name confess,

On us Thy grace bestow.

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Light of the world, we celebrate

To-night Thy lowly birth,

And teach our little ones of Thee

Who cam’st from heaven to earth.

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Light of the world, in manger low

Didst deign to lay Thy head,

That we in darkest night of sin

Might to Thy light be led.

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Light of the world, into our hearts

Let Thy full glory shine,

That we may follow now Thy star

Until we reach Thy shrine.

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Light of the world, we worship Thee,

Our gifts to Thee we bring,

Accept our sinful hearts, O Lord,

While praise to Thee we sing.

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Light of the world, when thou shalt come

Our Judge and Lord to be;

May we through Thy dear sacrifice

Forever dwell with Thee.

Above:  The Nativity at Night, by Geertgen tot Sint Jans

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1909) by Ferdinand Quincy Blanchard (1876-1966)

Hymn Source = Songs of the Christian Life (1912), U.S. Congregationalist, via hymnary.org

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Bethlehem sleeps beneath the stars,

Midst the mystery of the night;

But where shepherds watch their flocks,

Lo! there shines a wondrous light.

Clear a joyous chorus swells,

Peals in triumph through the sky,

“Peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

Raise the alleluia high.

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Jesus, born of Mary, comes,

Dawns the new day with his birth;

Now proclaim the hope of Christ

Over all the realms of earth.

In His faith the sad are brave,

By His power men conquer sin,

Though injustice would hold sway

Truth and love their reign begin.

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Grant us then, O God of love,

Hearts where Christ shall come to-day,

May our wills be one with His,

May His spirit guide our way.

God of Jesus, may His truths

Bless the world this Christmas tide,

‘Till with all the sons of men,

Faith and hope and love abide.

Above:  The Adoration of the Shepherds, by Giorgione

Image in the Public Domain

Original Text by Jiri Tranovsky (1592-1637)

Composite Translation for The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), The Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

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Come rejoicing,

Praises voicing,

Christmas Day is breaking;

Now th’Eternal,

Lord supernal,

Human form is taking.

On the hay–lo, behold

Virgin’s Son, as foretold–

Lies the precious Infant in the wintry cold,

Lies the precious Infant in the wintry cold.

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Unabated

For Him waited

Many generations;

Him now proudly

Angels loudly

Praise the Hope of nations.

Let us, then, gladly sing,

Let our songs gaily ring,

As we to this holy Child our praises bring,

As we to this holy Child our praises bring.

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Tender Flower,

Mighty Tower,

Jesus Christ, our Savior;

Heav’nly Treasure,

Without measure

Thee we love forever.

Lord and King without end,

Our poor hearts now befriend,

All Thy gifts of grace and goodness to us send,

All Thy gifts of grace and goodness to us send.

Above:  Nativity

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1926) by William Merriam Crane (1880-?)

Hymn Source = The New Hymnal for American Youth (1930)

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1.  Lord Jesus, Son of Mary,

As now we hail thy birth,

Give faith to see thy coming

Each year, each day, to earth.

2.  Thou comest, walking with us,

In those whose faces shine

With joy to know and mirror

The wondrous life divine.

3.  Thou comest, living truly,

In those who never swerve

In tho’t or happy purpose

To lift and love and serve.

4.  Thou comest, Lord of nations,–

Thy promise to fulfill,–

In those with faith to stablish

The kingdom of good will.

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

German Text (published in 1571) by Paul Eber (1511-1569)

English Translation (1907) by Carl Doving (1867-1937)

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1.  To God the anthem raising,

Sing, Christians, great and small;

Sing out, His goodness praising,

Oh, thank Him, one and all!

Behold how God this year,

Which now is safely ended,

Hath in His love befriended,

His children far and near.

2.  Let us consider rightly

His mercies manifold,

And let us not think lightly

Of all His gifts untold.

Let thankfulness recall

How God this year hath led us,

How He hath clothed and fed us,

The great ones and the small.

3.  The Church and State He granted

His peace in every place,

His vineyard He hath planted

Among us by His grace.

His ever bounteous hand

Prosperity hath given

And want and famine driven

From this our native land.

4.  His Father heart is yearning

To take us for His own

When, our transgressions mourning,

We trust in Christ alone;

When in His name we pray

And humbly make confession,

He pardons our transgression

And is our faithful Stay.

5.  Our God hath well defended,

Hath kept us through His grace;

But if He had contended

With us our sins to trace

And given us our meed,

We all would then be lying

In sin and sorrow, dying,

Each one for his misdeed.

6.  O Father dear in heaven,

For all Thy gifts of love

Which Thou to us hast given

We lift our thanks above.

In Jesus’ name we here,

To Thee our prayers addressing,

Still ask Thee for Thy blessing:

Grant us a joyful year.

Image in the Public Domain

Words (1918) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

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1.  Jesus, O precious Name,

By heaven’s herald spoken,

Jesus, O holy Name,

Of love divine the token,

Jesus, in Thy dear Name

This new year we begin;

Bless Thou its opening door,

Inscribe Thy Name within.

2.  Jesus, O precious Name,

In Thee our hopes are centered,

In Thee, O mighty Name,

This new year we have entered.

Though seasons come and go,

Thou, Lord, art still the same;

Immovable is still

That solid rock, Thy Name.

3.  Jesus, O precious Name,

Thou bringest peace and gladness,

Jesus, O worshiped Name,

Dispelling all our sadness,

In hallowed temple halls

Thy sacred echo rings,

While heav’ns ransomed host

Thy praise in glory sings.