O Come, All Ye Faithful - December 20, 2021
Luke 2:15
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that
has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
Probably my second favorite Christmas Carol of all time, “O
Come, All Ye Faithful” is one of the older hymn texts we sing at
Christmastime. These verses were
originally composed in Latin with the earliest texts found dating to 1640. Most likely though, it is even older than
that and we don’t have a way to know who actually penned the first
version. The lyrics have been paired
with many tunes over the centuries, but the one we sing today dates to the
mid-nineteenth century. Again the
authorship of the tune is often disputed.
No matter who wrote it, I love it. It is the hymn that I most associate with
Christmas Eve. I have fond memories of
standing in church singing this song at the 11:00pm Christmas Eve Service at
Mandarin United Methodist Church in Jacksonville with the pipe organ blaring
full volume. You could actually feel the music in your bones! I actually have a specific memory of singing
this song and as we sang the title opening line, I had the thought, “I am one
of the faithful.” I was “joyful and
triumphant” because Christmas was the next day and I got to stay up after
midnight. I would have to linger in my
bed waiting for Christmas morning for a few less hours. Score!
Fond memories.
My experience of this song is different now. I’m not quite as confident about my
faithfulness and sometimes it is the very singing of this song that helps me be
joyful and triumphant. It’s been years
since I heard a good pipe organ. I look
forward to getting some sleep Christmas Eve and I pray that my kids are old
enough now that they don’t wake me up too early. The joy and triumph of Christmas is still
there sure enough, but it has changed.
It feels less intense than it did as a child, but it also feels less
fickle and self-centered. The joy of
Christmas for me now is more about seeing the joy of others. The triumph of Christmas seems less about
getting what I want and more about seeing others joy expanded. I think about the difference between my
childhood and adult experience of Christmas and I am grateful to God for the
journey of faith He’s allowed me to have.
Spend some time today reflecting on how your experience of
Christmas has changed over the years.
What does that first line of “O Come All Ye Faithful…” stir in you?
Prayer: Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy
morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father, now in flesh
appearing! We come and adore you! Amen
Prayer Focus: Pray for people you will invite to worship
with you on Christmas Eve Service later this week.
Song: Westminster
Abbey - O Come All Ye Faithful
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