Saturday, 25 December 2021 17:00

And He Shall Be Their Peace

Written by  Priscilla K. Garatti
And He Shall Be Their Peace Photo by David McEachan

I heard the holy melody as I crossed the threshold of the church door. The organist went between the piano and the organ playing so radiantly and triumphantly it almost made me ache from the beauty of the chords.  The congregation was provided a bulletin with the song lyrics and the Scripture readings. I came home and highlighted the phrases I loved from the leaflet. I provide them here as they comprise such a lyrical Christmas poem. 

O come, O Bright and Morning Star and bring us comfort from afar!

Dispel the shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light.

Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might.

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Let loving hearts enthrone him.

And he shall be their peace.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is given!

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

And of his kingdom there will be no end.

For nothing will be impossible with God.

O tidings of comfort and joy.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger.

Son of God, love's pure light.

Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace.

Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Jesus Lord at thy birth.

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.

Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind.

Good will henceforth from heaven to me begin and never cease.

For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

God from God, Light from light eternal.

O come, let us adore him. O come let us adore him.

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

His Peace, His Light, to you and yours. Merry Christmas.

 

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What Readers Are Saying

In Missing God Priscilla takes a brave and unflinching look at grief and the myriad ways in which it isolates one person from another. The characters are full-bodied and the writing is mesmerizing. Best of all, there is ample room for hope to break through. This is a must read.

Beth Webb-Hart (author of Grace At Lowtide)

winner"On A Clear Blue Day" won an "Enduring Light" Bronze medal in the 2017 Illumination Book Awards.

winnerAn excerpt from Missing God won as an Honorable Mention Finalist in Glimmertrain’s short story “Family Matters” contest in April 2010.