Above:  Icon of Christ Pantocrator

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

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Lord Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine,

thank you for the glorious mystery of your Incarnation,

essential to the Atonement, and therefore, our salvation.

May we, affirming your full humanity and full divinity without necessarily understanding them,

grow, by grace, into our full stature as human beings and achieve our full potential in God.

In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Genesis 1:26-31

Psalm 110

Hebrews 1:1-14

John 1:1-18

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 25, 2020 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST, MARTYR, 68

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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2020/04/25/proper-for-the-incarnation/

https://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2020/04/25/proper-for-the-incarnation/

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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:  Adoration of the Shepherds, by Jacapo da Ponte

Image in the Public Domain

Original Text by Jiri Tranovsky (1592-1637)

English Translation by J. Vojtko, of whom I know nothing

Hymn Source = American Lutheran Hymnal (1930), The American Lutheran Church (1930-1960) and its immediate predecessors

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Christ the Lord to us is born,

Hallelujah!

On this joyous Christmas morn,

Hallelujah!

Of a Virgin lowly,

He, the King most holy,

To us this day is born,

To us this day is born.

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Prophesied in days of old,

Hallelujah!

God had has sent Him as foretold,

Hallelujah!

Of a Virgin lowly,

He, the King most holy,

To us this day is born,

To us this day is born.

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Realms of heaven He foresook,

Hallelujah!

Our poor human form He took,

Of a Virgin lowly,

He, the King most holy,

To us this day is born,

To us this day is born.

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Prostrate lies the evil one,

Hallelujah!

God has saved us through His Son,

Hallelujah!

Of a Virgin lowly,

He, the King most holy,

To us this day is born,

To us this day is born.

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O Thou Child of God most fair,

Be thou with us,

Keep us from the devil’s snare,

Have mercy on us.

By Thy birth so lowly,

Son of God, most holy,

Be gracious unto us,

Be gracious unto us.

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Grant us all a blessed end, dearest Jesus,

From all evils us defend, gracious Jesus,

By Thy birth so lowly,

Son of God, most holy,

Our souls from death redeem,

Our souls from death redeem.

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.

Above:  Annunciation to the Shepherds

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Words (1683) by Caspar Friedrich Nachtenhofer  (1624-1685)

English Translation (1922) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

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

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1.  This night a wondrous revelation

Makes known to me God’s love and grace;

The Child that merits adoration

Brings light to our benighted race;

And though a thousand suns did shine,

Still brighter were that Light divine.

2.  The Sun of Grace for thee is beaming;

Rejoice, my soul, in Jesus’ birth!

The light from yonder manger streaming

Sends forth its rays o’er all the earth.

It drives the night of sin away

And turns our darkness into day.

3.  This night, which all thy gloom can banish,

The bliss of heaven glorifies;

When sun and moon and stars shall vanish,

Its rays shall still illume the skies.

This light thro’ all eternity

Thy heav’n and all to thee shall be.

4.  O Jesus, precious Sun of gladness,

Fill Thou my soul with light, I pray.

Dispel the gloomy night of sadness

And teach Thou me this Christmas Day

How I a child of light may be,

Aglow with light that comes from Thee.

Above:  A Mosaic at a Former Church, Now a Mosque, Between 1888 and 1910

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-ppmsca-03684

Hymn Source = W. G. Polack, The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, Second Edition (1942)

Original German Words (1646) by Christian Keimann (1607-1662)

English Translation (1863) by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

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1.  Oh, rejoice, ye Christians, loudly,

For our joy hath now begun;

Wondrous things our God hath done.

Tell abroad His goodness proudly

Who our race hath honored thus

That He deigns to dwell with us.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

2.  See. my soul, thy Savior chooses

Weakness here and poverty;

In such love He comes to thee

Nor the hardest couch refuses;

All He suffers for thy good,

To redeem thee by His blood.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

3.  Lord, how shall I thank Thee rightly?

I acknowledge that by Thee

Every blessing flows for me.

Let me not forget it lightly,

But to Thee through all things cleave;

So shall heart and mind receive.

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

4.  Jesus, guard and guide Thy members,

Fill Thy brethren with Thy grace,

Hear their prayers in every place.

Quicken now life’s faintest embers;

Grant all Christians, far and near,

Holy peace, a glad New Year!

Joy, O joy, beyond all gladness,

Christ hath done away with sadness!

Hence, all sorrow and repining,

For the Sun of Grace is shining!

Above:  Christ the Merciful

Image in the Public Domain

Original Danish Words by Hans Adolf Brorson (1694-1764)

English Translation (1898) by Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth (1845-1925)

Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996), Evangelical Lutheran Synod

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1.  Thy little ones, dear Lord, we are,

And come Thy holy bed to see;

Enlighten ev’ry soul and mind

That we the way to Thee may find.

2.  With songs we hasten Thee to greet

And kiss the dust before Thy feet;

O blessed hour, O sweetest night,

That gave Thee birth, our soul’s delight.

3.  Now welcome! From Thy heav’nly home

Thou to our vale of tears art come;

Man hath no off’ring for Thee save

The stable, manger, cross, and grave.

4.  Jesus, alas! how can it be

So few bestow a thought on Thee

Or on the love, so wondrous great,

That drew Thee down to our estate?

5.  O draw us wholly to Thee, Lord,

Do Thou to us Thy grace accord,

True faith and love to us impart,

That we may hold Thee in our heart.

6.  Keep us, howe’er the world may lure,

In our baptismal cov’nant pure;

That ev’ry yearning thought may be

Directed only unto Thee

7.  Until at last we, too, proclaim,

With all Thy saints, Thy glorious name;

In Paradise our songs renew,

And praise Thee as the angels do.

8.  We gather round Thee, Jesus dear,

So happy in Thy presence here;

Grant us, our Savior, ev’ry one,

To stand in heav’n before Thy throne.