December 28 - O Come All Ye Faithful

There's no Christmas story at all in the gospel of Mark and the gospel of John has something more like a prologue instead of a narrative. Only Matthew and Luke give us a story about the birth of Christ. Interestingly, the details of those two stories are quite different. An angel comes only to Joseph in Matthew and an angel comes only to Mary in Luke. There are only Magi in Matthew and there are only Shepherds in Luke. In Matthew Mary and Joseph are forced to flee to Egypt to escape the infanticide of Herod and in Luke Mary and Joseph simply bring their baby to the temple for dedication. There are so many differences between these two stories it is hard to know how to read and understand them. Yet in spite of their differences there is a common theme that links the stories of the birth of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew and Luke and that common theme is worship. Worship is what the Magi do when they find Jesus in the gospel of Matthew and worship is what the Shepherds do when they find Jesus in the gospel of Luke. 

The Latin hymn Adeste Fideles, which we know as "O Come All Ye Faithful" perfectly captures the Christmas theme of worship by calling the faithful people [i.e. the Church] to come gather around the manger in Bethlehem with joyful hearts and triumphant voices to adore (worship) Christ the Lord. Of the first four verses that were written most likely by the English hymn writer John Francis Wade we almost never sing or hear the second verse that says:

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal

Lo, He shuns not the Virgin's womb;

Son of the Father, begotten, not created

These verses were written as an encapsulation of early Christian creeds that the church developed to help Christians think, pray, sing, and worship more carefully. 

In addition to this wonderful verse there were other verses to "O Come All Ye Faithful" that were written later about the Magi and the Shepherds that both point toward their worship at the manger of Christ. The Shepherds run with haste to gaze upon the child in awe and wonder and then they leave to tell the story. The Magi bring offerings of incense, gold, and myrrh and reject the powers that be by going home by another way. The actions of these two groups of people who came to the manger form a basic foundation for how we should approach the worship of Christ during the 12 celebratory days of the Christmas season. We should run with haste excitedly toward every opportunity we have to worship Christ. We should spend time meditating on the mystery of the incarnation of God with awe and wonder. We should tell everyone we encounter about this incredible thing that God has done. We should offer the best of what we have to the Lord-our time, our talents, and especially our treasure since the Magi brought expensive gifts to the poor holy family. 

Each day during the 12 days of Christmas we should seek to find ways that we can worship the one who was born in Bethlehem. Let our hearts be filled with excitement, awe, and wonder. Let our mouths be filled with praise and every aspect of our lives be given in gratitude to the King of angels. 

As you come to behold him I leave you with this other forgotten verse as a prayer that is much needed in this day and age of Christmas riches and excess:

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

O Come All Ye Faithful (Celebrating Grace #103)

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

Rev. Benjamin Boswell