Fall on your knees

Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to His holy Name. Psalm 97:12

Listening to Christmas carols is all about perspective. Sunday afternoon I sat under the huge copula of St. Thomas the Apostle parish and listened to Brahms while looking up into the backlighting of the afternoon sun over the Catalina mountains.

O Saviour, tear open the heavens,

Flow down to us from heaven above!

Tear off heaven’s gate and door,

Tear off every lock and bar.

O God, a dew from heaven pour,

In the dew, O Saviour, downward flow!

Break, you clouds, and rain down

The king of Jacob’s house!

O Earth, burst forth, burst forth, O Earth,

So that mountain and valley all become green!

O Earth, bring forth this little flower,

O Saviour, spring forth out of the earth!

Therefore we all want to thank you,

Our Redeemer, forever and ever;

Therefore we all want to praise you

At all times, always and forever.

Amen

And a Facebook question about Christmas carols caused me to pull out A Tiny Winter Hymnal by Cameron & Carly just a little early. And my now all-time favorite Christmas tune. And Cameron makes fun of me because I have lots of all-time favorites.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,

and wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

Which brings me back to today’s verse. And the joyful peace of fixed hour liturgies.

Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks to His holy Name. Psalm 97:12