Sunday, December 7, 2008

My Favorite Christmas Carol

Today at church I was thinking about my favorite Christmas carol. It is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. I used to not particularly like this song, at least not more than any other Christmas song. However, the words of the 2nd verse are particularly meaningful to me, and that is why it is now my favorite Christmas carol of all. For those who have not known the words to the 2nd verse, I will post them here:

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace.
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild, He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn king.

I love this carol because it talks about the Savior's mission on earth. He came to earth to heal us and to let us live again. When I hear this song, I feel great joy because I remember that everyone can be healed, and I remember that we all will live again. This song brings joy and comfort to me all year round, and I hope that my drawing your attention to it will allow it to bring joy and comfort to you as well.

Should you care to respond, I would love to know which Christmas carol is your favorite, and why. :-)

1 comment:

Wag-a-Muffin said...

My favorite "in the hymnal" carol is, "O Come All Ye Faithful" because the tenor line is so much fun to sing.
But the Christmas song that touches my heart most is "Mary's Lullaby." I first heard it at a fireside where Elder Featherstone was speaking. In his talk he told about a man who asked him to officiate at his wedding. When asked if he had any family he told Brother F about when his mother dropped him (age four) and his little sister (age two) off at the group home. His sister cried when they separated them. But as he was in his bed in the boys room he heard her little sleeper footie padding feet walk down the hall and she climbed into bed with him and her stuffed bear. A little while later the lights came on and the woman in charge appeared, grabbed the bear and told his sister that unless she stayed with the girls the bear would be burned. The man then said, "I never saw her again. I have no family." It was a Christmas Fireside and I was thinking the story would have a happy ending. I was pregnant, (Chase and Ceri were about the same age as the children in the story) and I started crying, big racking sobs. After his talk, my neighbor down the street sang "Mary's Lullaby."
lyrics: Mary's Lullaby

All mine in your loveliness baby, all mine.
All mine in your holiness baby divine.
Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine.

The wise men are coming to worship their King,
The shepherds are kneeling their homage to bring.
Out yonder the star over Judah will keep.
No harm will befall thee, then sleep baby sleep.

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Away spectered future of sorrow and plight,
Away to the years that must follow tonight.
The pangs of Gethsemane, let them be dim,
The red drops on Calvary, not Lord, for Him!

O let me enfold thee, my baby tonight,
While legions are singing in joyous delight.
A new star has risen to hail thee divine,
For you are a king, but tonight you are mine.

Sing on herald angels in chorus sublime;
Sing on and adore, for tonight you are mine.
(Wow, I can't even read the lyrics without tearing up.)