Joy in Abundance
“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’”
In a Christmastide that is especially wintery, here in our little Anna Makać
Through the Church the manifold wisdom of God is now being made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
—The Apostle Paul (Eph 1:10)
Second Sunday after Christmas
Texts for this Week
Prayer
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Adeste, Fideles — O Come, All ye Faithful
The invitation “O Come” is most suitable in this extension of Christmastide, and indeed, the varied and mysterious history of the hymn comports well with the theme of universal invitation. It is a later Latin hymn, whose composition has variously been attributed to St. Bonaventure (13th C) to King John of Portugal (17th C) — although the most likely provenance is that it was written and promoted by anonymous Cistercians.
Below is an “urban” version, well-suited to cutting-lose in a celebratory home dance party (recommended). If you need something a bit more mellow, this contemporary acapella version by Voctave is appealing.
