O Little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
Bethlehem was the place from which David, a simple shepherd in the fields around the town, was called to be King. When Joseph and Mary arrived from Nazareth to be counted in the census, the town was buzzing with activity. The only available space was alongside the animals, and there it was that Jesus was born, then wrapped in swaddling bands and laid in the animal feeding trough. Its a far cry from a royal palace, with servants in attendance, and everything spotlessly clean and tidy. Yet the amazing thing is that this was Christ, the King - the Son of God coming to dwell with us!
In an age of upward mobility, it's hard to grasp the reality of this - yet God surprises us by sending a King who identifies with the poor and outcast, the disadvantaged and the marginalised. We often say "He laid aside his majesty" - indeed, St Paul wrote these words:
"He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant...he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! God has exalted him to the highest place...at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..." (Philippians 2:6-12)
So in this carol, we invite Christ to "be born in us today". I wonder, if Christ really were King in our lives today, what might be different?
No comments:
Post a Comment