On the Morning of the Nativity of My Savior

The profound mystery and mindboggling incongruity of the Lord and Ruler of the Universe becoming flesh-enrobed for our sakes, a helpless human baby born as we were,  is the wonder of Christmas Day. Many poets across the ages have contemplated that strange juxtaposition: Christ laying aside his divine glory for us. Here is one such poem, one of my favorites, by Robert Southwell (1561-1595):

The Nativity of Christ

Behold the Father is His daughter’s Son,
The bird that built the nest is hatched therein;
The old of years an hour hath not outrun,
Eternal life to live doth now begin,
The Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,
Might feeble is, and force doth faintly creep.

O dying souls! behold your Living Spring!
     O dazzled eyes! behold your Sun of Grace!
Dull ears , attend what word this Word doth bring!
     Up, heavy hearts, with joy your Joy embrace!
From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs,
This Life, this Light, this Word, this Joy repairs. 

Gift better than Himself God doth now know —
     Gift better than his God no man can see;
This Gift doth here the Giver given bestow,
     Gift to this Gift let each receiver be:
God is my Gift, Himself He freely gave me;
God’s gift am I, and none but God shall have me.

Man altered was by sin from man to beast;
     Beast’s food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh;
Now God is flesh and lies in manger pressed
     As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh:
O happy field wherein this fodder grew,
Whose taste doth us from beasts to men renew!

 

Prayer:

O BLESSED LORD JESUS, give us thankful hearts today for You, our choicest gift, our dearest guest. Let not our souls be busy inns that have no room for You and Yours, but quiet homes of prayer and praise where you may find fit company, where the needful cares of life are wisely ordered and put away, and wide, sweet spaces kept for You, where holy thoughts pass up and down and fervent longings watch for and wait Your coming.

So, when You come again, O Blessed One, may You find all things ready, and Your servants waiting for no new master, but for one long loved and known. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  AMEN.

                                                                                                                            (From A Book of Simple Prayers)

A most blessed Christmas to you all.