Over the course of the Christmas period I try to reflect on words of carols that have had a deep impression on my life and faith. There are some that are good at telling the story, but not explaining it. There are others that tend towards the ‘Mindless Fluffland’ that Fleming Rutledge speaks of in her book of Advent sermons.
But there are words in some Christmas Carols that stand out for their deep spiritual and theological meaning. Examples are…
‘Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate deity.’ (Charles Wesley – Hark, the herald angels sing.)
‘Unceated light shines through infant eyes.’ (Graham Kendrick – Like a candle flame.)
I would add to such as those this from Minuit Chrétiens:
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance
A cette nuit qui lui donne un sauveur
The whole world trembles with hope
On this night which gives it a Saviour.
In these days hope is in short supply, but we must remember that, with the coming of Jesus, our hope is secure that chaos and death will not have the last word. And the world trembles in that hope.
Steps on The Way 