Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King!
Joyful Encounter
It is funny how God works. I had the image pictured above in my mind, and he produced it by making it available on a friend’s Facebook post allowing me to post it with her permission, of course. Everything is connected. It is originally what I had in mind when searching for pictures of angels heralding the coming of Christ’s birth.
Just seeing the word Joy gives me joy. The angels blasting their trumpets to announce the birth of Christ is also a joy to behold. Hold this joy close to your hearts during this Christmas season and beyond.
Experiencing the Christmas Spirit
I was at the grocery store on Christmas Eve. I went early, around 11:00 a.m., thinking I would beat any crowds. Lo and behold, it was busy. I come upon the egg case to pick up some eggs for the Christmas breakfast casserole, egg nog and spaetzle. The shelves were empty! What?! Nada, nichts, none! Many people circling the egg case were thinking the same thing. How preposterous! No eggs available before Christmas! Are we living in a communist country? My personal feeling is that it is a supply chain issue.
I came up with a plan to visit the nearby Wal-Mart. Surely, they would have some. I proceeded to shop for the rest of the items on my list first.
It is funny how God works. I had the image pictured above in my mind, and he produced it by making it available on a friend’s Facebook post allowing me to post it with her permission, of course. Everything is connected.
I was in the produce section and just by happenstance asked the produce employee if there were any eggs to be had. He said they were all out because there was an avian flu going around and no grocery store had them. This was also the story during last years Thanksgiving. What? He proceeded to tell me he was saving some eggs in the back for himself and he kindly offered them to me because he was going to his sisters for Christmas and didn’t need them right away.
At first, I was hesitant but he convinced me to go ahead and take them and proceeded to go and get them for me. That is truly the Christmas spirit! Wow, I couldn’t believe it.
I had a lot of recipes that required eggs and wasn’t sure that I had all I needed to complete the recipes. I was taken aback by this person’s generosity. It gave me joy to think there are kind people in this world.
We Are All Connected
The photo below reminds me of how we are all connected. We are all “one body” on this earth and everything we do has an impact on one another.
God came to earth in the form of a child to reconcile sinners to themselves. This year at Mass, many Christmas hymns were sung in their entirety. I found great joy in that. This Christmas hymn struck a particular chord with me this year. (No pun intended.) I have fond memories as a youth of my sister and myself singing Christmas hymns with my mom before bedtime. We would sing all the stanzas. What a beautiful season. Merry Christmas to all!
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all you nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord:
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see:
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with us to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Ris’n with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth,
Born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Text: Charles Wesley
Tune: Felix Mendelssohn