Merry Christmas!
Please read "God's Christmas Present." Once you start the scrolling, this site will scroll by itself. If you have speakers, turn them on to hear a piano rendition of "O Holy Night" as you read the poem and view the art work.
(Hat tip: Skylark)
Not long ago, one of my students asked me, "What is your favorite Christmas carol?"
Without hesitation, I responded, "Of the Father's Love Begotten."
I discovered this beautiful, lesser-known hymn some thirty years ago when I was a church organist. "Of the Father's Love Begotten" is often used as an a capella processional or as a processional with handbells during Advent season, both at services and at Christmas concerts. The words speak to the divinity. sovereignty, and immortality of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Note the refrain: "Evermore and evermore."
Of the Father's Love BegottenVisit CatHouse Chat for further articles and meditations.
Of the Father's love begotten,
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He;
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore.
O ye heights of heaven, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him,
And extol our God and King;
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring,
Evermore and evermore.
Christ, to Thee with God the Father,
And, O holy Ghost, to Thee,
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving,
And unwearied praises be;
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore.
--Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348-c. 413
Translated by John M. Neale, 1818-1866 and Henry W. Baker, 1821-1877
To be sung to Divinum Mysterium, 13th Century Plainsong, Mode V
[Click here to read all the verses and to hear the music]
May the Lord grant you the peace and blessings of this Holy Season.
--Always On Watch
posted by Always On Watch @ 12/23/2005 02:46:00 PM
27 comments
27 Comments:
Thank you AOW.
And all of us from the Democracy Frontline team send you our warmest and sincere:
Merry Christmas.
I know this isn't a Christmas Carol but I'll always remember my mom reading to me "The Night before Christmas". I still try reading it to my daughter but at age 10, she's "all grown up" now. Hopefully when she is my age she'll understand how little things define who we are and stay with us forever. I wish everybody who comes here a Merry Christmas.
Crusader,
I love the poem "The Night Before Christmas"! Thanks for the reminder. That poem is a wonderful Christmas tradtion:
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
Here's some background information on the poem, from
http://www.nightbeforechristmas.biz/
poem.htm [a beautiful site] :
According to legend, Clement Clarke Moore wrote his immortal poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, for his family on Christmas Eve 1822. He never intended that it be published, but a family friend, Miss Harriet Butler, learned of the poem sometime later from Moore's children. She copied it into her album, and submitted it to the editor of the Troy (New York) Sentinel where it made its first appearance in print on December 23, 1823. Soon, the poem began to be reprinted in other newspapers, almanacs and magazines, with the first appearance in a book in The New York Book of Poetry, edited by Charles Fenno Hoffman, in 1837.
It was not until 1844, however, that Moore himself acknowledged authorship in a volume of his poetry entitled Poems, published at the request of his children. One hundred and eighty years later it is the most-published, most-read, most-memorized and most-collected book in all of Christmas literature.
Merry Christmas .
How come these leftist think that I have a problem with Christmas as a non Christian ? I never heard a bigoted word from a Christian in my life and I have been welcomed into churches as a Jew. Everytime I see a bigot they are always far left types seriously.
This was beautiful, AOW. I hope you and the family have a beautiful Christmas and a fantastic New Year.
Samwich,
Never, ever shut up about the Meaning of Christmas.
Thank you for posting that comment, both the Story Which Never Grows Old and your commentary.
Thank you, everyone, for stopping by. I'll be rather busy the next few days as my husband and I celebrate Christmas with the family.
Thanks for posting that; it was wonderful!
A point to ponder; about half of the people I work with are Moslems, and they heartily wished me a Merry Christmas. If Moslems have no problem expressing such sentiments (in time of war with fellow Moslems, I might add), why should it bother atheists so much?
A blessed and merry Christmas to you, AOW!
The words of 'Of the Father's Love Begotten' are very moving, awesome and in keeping with the quiet grandeur of this season. I'll be printing them out and putting them somewhere I can see them often. Thanks AOW! Have a great time !
I know that you are already aware of the fact that I think you are doing good work at Always on Watch. I respect what you have to say, and I admire the way you say it. You are making an important contribution to our country, and in my view, that makes you a patriot. I would also like to acknowledge that you have become a good friend – and for that, I am grateful beyond words. May God bless you and keep you within His care, AOW. Merry Christmas, and please have a very Happy and safe New Year.
Semper Fidelis,
Merry Christmas, AOW!
Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
Merry Christmas, AOW!
Many comments have disappeared? I found nearly 50 comments when I stopped by this post.
Merry Christmas. I wear a red sweater and shirt---like a Santa?
AOW,
I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. I have enjoyed your site since I found it and look forward to more in the coming new year,
Shah,
I didn't remove any comments, but somehow one of the earlier articles about Christmas ("Celebrate Christmas") went into draft mode. No doubt I clicked the wrong button--another manifestation of my Christmas rush. I'll repost it now beneath this "Merry Christmas" article.
You're a Santa, huh? My husband wears an outfit similar to yours and has a Santa hat to go with it. Also, my husband grew out his winter beard, which is white. Small children believe that he IS Santa. Funny!
Mustang,
Thank you for your wonderful compliment, my good friend.
Thanks to that car accident I had on May 17 and getting laid up for the whole summer, I sort of stumbled into blogging, clicked on "Mustang," and found someone a kindred spirit to teach me the finer points of blogging and of Blogger. More importantly, I now have a dear friend I didn't have a year ago. Thank God for you!
Romans 8:28 states All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord. I believe those words, even though sometimes I don't immediately see the blessing. 2005 has been, in many ways, a wretched year for me. You have been one of the few bright spots--certainly one the the blessings in my 2005.
Merry Christmas To All!!
Samwich,
Off topic here...My husband gave me a beautiful dinner ring for Christmas. No wonder he was smirking when I told him of your purchase. My husband had a little surprise in store for me, and despite our being married for over 33 years, I didn't pick up on the surprise my husband had in store.
The ring, with 18k white-gold setting, has a square-cut emerald in the center and lots of small diamonds all around; the diamonds fan out to form a vertical bow. We've been to two parties so far, and I'm getting lots of ooh's and aah's. Of course, my husband bought this piece from a contact in the coin business--not from a retail jeweler.
This ring is from and estate sale. I'm not one of those women who cares about new; I care about quality--and a good deal (as opposed to a rip-off). As it's Christmas, it's not polite for me to ask the price.
What is it about women and diamonds? I've never known any woman who didn't want diamonds, even if she rarely wears them.
My husband also bought his mother a nice necklace--Statue of Liberty on black onyx. Because she has mid-stage Alheimer's, she won't remember who gave the necklace to her. But last night, after being here since Friday evening, it suddenly dawned on her that she is indeed visiting her oldest son for Christmas. The recognition pleased my husband, even if the recognition turns out to be fleeting. I'm not sure she realizes that she flew all the way across the country to visit us for Christmas--for the first time ever. But the recognition on Christmas evening is a sort of Christmas miracle. God is good!
Samwich,
You know a lot about the lineage. Is understanding that lineage a part of LDS?
Bassizzzt,
Isn't it amazing that you had such a dream? The garlic capsules? Maybe so, but I have my doubts.
To all who wished me a Merry Christmas:
A year ago, I didn't even know that blogs existed. Today, look at the comments of all who stopped by here. Each and every one of wishes here have brightened this Season for me.
For those commenters who have their own blogs, I hope that I've stopped by your sites to wish you a Merry Christmas too. And for those commenters who are independents without blogs, I have wished you the same greeting.
Mery Christmas! sorry I am late. AOW I appreciateou.
We teach do not teach anything that is not taught in the Bible.
Why does Joseph Smith's first novel say Jesus was born in Jerusalem?
Samwich,
Beamish is a satirist and can be a bit of a trouble maker. I'll leave it to Beamish to defend himself of the other "charges."
Many of my Christian friends criticize Mormonism. While I do not subscribe to Mormonism, I guess that I don't get as heated about it. One reason for my mellowness is that my husband's aunt is a convert to LDS, and she and I have a good relationship. Also, a distant ancestor of mine went west with Brigham Young. The rest of my family never understood my ancestor's commitment, but as there were many other worse "scandals" in the family, we didn't fret about it.
To each his own, I guess. Besides, each needs to tend to one's own soul.
Samwich,
You belong to a cult that was run out of Ohio for counterfeiting currency, and ran out of Missouri for terrorism and insurrection, not long after being proven a fraud in Illinois.
You've no right to call me a moron. You're the one falling for Joseph Smith's racket, not me.
9 out of 10 people you meet on the internet were snipers in Vietnam.
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