Advent Reflection 17 December

See amid the winter’s snow

 

Pause for a moment

Can you remember a White Christmas?

Listen to the music

See, amid the winter's snow,
born for us on earth below,
see the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

        Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
        Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
        Sing through all Jerusalem,
        "Christ is born in Bethlehem."

Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He, who throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim!

Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today;
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?

"As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing 'Peace on earth'
told us of the Saviour's birth."

Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was Thine;
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

Teach, O teach us, Holy Child,

by Thy face so meek and mild,

teach us to resemble Thee

in Thy sweet humility!

Learn about the carol

 

This carol, also known as "Hymn for Christmas Day" and "The Hymn for Christmas", was written by Edward Caswall (1814–1878), with music composed by Sir John Goss (1800–1880). Caswall wrote it shortly after converting from the Church of England to the Roman Catholic Church.  It was selected to be included in "Christmas Carols Old and New" (1871) as one of the carols that had "proved their hold upon the popular mind". While the carol became popular, a number of verses were cut from later publications. This includes the original final verse about the Virgin Mary, which was often cut out of non-Catholic hymnals.

 

Time for reflection

This is not the only carol which takes inspiration from a winter landscape connected to Europe rather than the Middle East, although a closer look reveals that it doesn't really set a wintry backdrop for the Nativity at all— seeing through the snow is what that we are encouraged to do, using it to help us imagine beyond it to an even purer and whiter Lamb of God appearing. It is the visual aid to introduce the even bigger story—redemption's happy dawn. The lamb emerging from the snow brings Easter imagery into Christmas , spring into winter. How appropriate . for this lamb brings the ultimate life and heralds a new season. Winter will turn into spring as he comes - just as CS Lewis represented so beautifully in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Hard, cold hearts will become soft ground ready to blossom and bear fruit. 

Time for Action

Look at some of your Christmas traditions, and see where they speak to your faith.