Advent Calendar

[tree_and_leaf]

Of the Birth of Christ.

When the ancient dispensation
Its predestin’d course had run,
Straight from out His bridal chamber
Came the Bridegroom, God the Son.

Once on earth, with arms extended
He embrac’d His heavenly Bride,
And His blesséd Mother laid Him
In the manger, at her side.

All around that helpless baby
Animals were standing by;
Men sang songs of glad rejoicing;
Angels join’d their songs on high,

Celebrating the betrothal
'Twixt the Bridegroom and the Bride,
While the Almighty, in the manger,
As an infant, wept and cried.

Gems those tears which human nature
Brought to the betrothal rite,
And the Maid was lost in wonder
As she witness’d such a sight.

Man was full of joy and gladness;
God was weeping, weak and lone.
Ne’er before throughout the ages
Had so strange a thing been known.

St John of the Cross (translated by E. Allison Peers)

*

O God, the judge of all,
who gave your servant John of the Cross
a warmth of nature, a strength of purpose
and a mystical faith
that sustained him even in the darkness:
shed your light on all who love you
and grant them union of body and soul
in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

I have been mildly incompetent - I meant to post this for the commemoration of St John of the Cross, which was yesterday, except it didn't happen because Sunday takes precedence... I shall pretend that it was transferred to today (though in fact you don't transferr lesser festivals or commemorations,you just skip them.)