At the time of his birth Christ, through whom every place was created, finds no place in the inn; and he who is Lord of all the world is born as though a foreigner, to enable us to be citizens whose homeland is heaven. He is wrapped in swaddling clothes in order to restore inContinue reading “He lies in swaddling clothes, but he reigns in heaven”
Tag Archives: Nativity of Our Lord
The bread’s purer snow
They came over the snow to the bread’spurer snow, fumbled it in their hugehands, put their lips to itlike beasts, stared into the dark chalicewhere the wine shone, felt it sharpon their tongue, shivered as at a sinremembered, and heard love crymomentarily in their hearts’ manger. They rose and went back to their poorholdings, nakedContinue reading “The bread’s purer snow”
St. Augustine on the Incarnation
Man’s Maker was made man, that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother’s breasts; that the Bread might be hungry, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired from the journey; that the Truth might be accused by false witnesses, the Judge of the living and the dead be judgedContinue reading “St. Augustine on the Incarnation”
More replendent than day, more radiant than light
Let us joyfully revere this holy day of the blessed birth, on which, through the birth of the Lord, the secrets of the Virgin’s womb are revealed and the burden of that unspoiled body has flowed out for the relief of the world, as we have longed for this day through our prayers. For thisContinue reading “More replendent than day, more radiant than light”
This night bestowed peace on the whole world
This night bestowed peace on the whole world; so, let no one threaten; This is the night of the Most Gentle One – let no one be cruel; This is the night of the Most Humble One – let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy – let us not revenge; Now is theContinue reading “This night bestowed peace on the whole world”
Now the angels honor us as friends
The Angel announces that a King is born, and the choirs of angels unite their voice with his, and rejoicing all together they sing: “Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.” Before the Redeemer was born in the flesh, there was discord between us and theContinue reading “Now the angels honor us as friends”
The true gain and fruit of the angel’s message
When I die I shall see nothing but black darkness, and yet that light, “To you is born this day the Savior,” remains in my eyes and fills all heaven and earth. The Savior will help me when all have forsaken me. And when the heavens and the stars and all creatures stare at meContinue reading “The true gain and fruit of the angel’s message”
The Wicked Fairy at the Manger
My gift for the child: No wife, no kids, home;No money sense. Unemployable.Friends, yes. But the wrong sort –The workshy, women, wimps.Petty infringers of the law, personsWith notifiable diseases.Poll tax collectors, tarts:The bottom rung.His end?I think we’ll make it public, prolonged, painful. Right, said the baby. That was roughlywhat we had in mind. U. A. Fanthorpe
Into the Darkest Hour
It was a time like this,War & tumult of war,a horror in the air.Hungry yawned the abyss-and yet there came the starand the child most wonderfully there. It was time like thisof fear & lust for power,license & greed and blight-and yet the Prince of blisscame into the darkest hourin quiet & silent light. AndContinue reading “Into the Darkest Hour”
Locus Communis 