Christ is Born!
Categories: hymns, parish-life, feast-days, other-churches
Date: 24 December 2006 06:33:34
My warmest wishes and prayers to you all for a blessed Feast of the Nativity of Christ! Thank you for the laughs, the comments, and the prayerful support in times of need: it has been greatly appreciated. God bless you and your loved ones this Nativity season.
I'll soon be leaving for the Nativity services for our church: Matins followed by Divine Liturgy. After our services, I will head off to St Francis for carols and Midnight Mass, and to see two friends and shipmates who are in the choir there to wish them a joyous and blessed Christmas.
Before I go, a Matins hymn we will sing tonight:
Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ comes from heaven, go to meet Him. Christ is on earth, be exalted. Sing to the Lord all the earth; praise Him in gladness O people; for He has been glorified.
The Lord performed a miracle and saved the people when of old He turned the moist waves of the sea into dry land. And having been born now of a Virgin by His own choice, He has trodden for us the way to Heaven, being equal to the Father and to men in essence; therefore, do we glorify Him.
To the Son begotten of the Father before all ages and incarnate of the Virgin without seed in these latter days. To Christ our God, let us cry out, ‘You who have raised up our horn, Holy are You, O Lord'.
Incline, O glorious Benefactor, to the praise of Your servants, abolishing the boasting of the proud adversary. And help us who sing to You to overcome sin, and confirm us on the unshakable foundation of faith
Stem and Flower of the root of Jesse, You have blossomed from the Virgin, O Christ. From the mountain overshadowed by the forest You have come, made flesh from her that knew no man, O God not formed from matter, glory to Your power, O Christ!
The Prophet Habakkuk of old foretold in song the re-creation of mankind; for he was worthy to behold that sign in an ineffable manner; for the Word did come forth as a new babe from the mountain of the Virgin, for the re-creation of the nations.
O God of peace, Father of mercy, You have sent Your angel of great counsel to grant us peace. We are guided to the Light of the knowledge of God and waking from the night, we glorify You, O Lover of mankind.
Grant forgiveness, O Christ, to us who have been in the darkness of our deeds of error since the night, who eagerly praise You, since You are our Benefactor; that You may hasten to us and prepare for us a good way, wherein if we walk we shall find glory and honour.
The whale cast forth Jonah as it had received Him like a babe from the womb. And when the Word came to dwell in the Virgin and was made flesh, He came forth preserving her incorrupt. For as He Himself was not subject to decay, He kept His mother free from harm.
Truly, Jonah when he was in the depth of the sea, begged to ascend to You and to be rescued from the tempest. But as for me, having been pierced by the arrows of the tyrant, in You I seek refuge, O evil-destroying Christ, hasten to me and deliver me hastily from my negligence.
The children brought up together in godliness, scorned the impious decree of the tyrant. They were not afraid of the threat of fire. But standing in the midst of the flames, they sang, “Blessed are You, O God of our fathers.”
The youths having clung steadfastly to the love of the King of all, ridiculed the prating and blasphemy of the blaspheming usurper. And being filled with wrath, he delivered them to the terrible fire which did not harm them. Wherefore, they lifted their voices to the Master, saying, "Blessed are You unto all ages."
We praise we bless and we worship the Lord!
The furnace moist with dew was an image prefiguring a wonder beyond nature. For it did not burn the children whom it had received nor did the fire of Divinity consume the Virgin's womb when it entered in. So let us raise the song, “Let all creation bless the Lord and exalt Him unto all ages!”
The youths who were cast of old into the fire and remained unburned, were a sign of the womb of the Maiden who gave birth supernaturally while yet sealed. These two matters grace has accomplished through one miracle, arousing the nations to praise.