Scripture Verse

God would make known…the riches of the glory of this mystery. Colossians 1:27

Introduction

portrait
Eric Schumacher (1976–)

Words: Er­ic Schu­mach­er, No­vem­ber 30, 2000.

Music: Ma­no­ah Giao­chi­no A. Ros­si­ni (1792–1868). Ar­ranged by Hen­ry W. Great­or­ex in Col­lect­ion of Church Mu­sic, 1851 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

How beau­ti­ful the mys­te­ry:
Th’eter­nal Word comes down
To live and love and die and rise,
To claim His vic­tor’s crown.

Content we find Him cra­dled there
Amongst the filth and beasts.
Who would be­lieve that He will be
Our guide from death to peace!

By ang­ry swords and dark de­cree
He’s driv­en from His land.
But still He hum­bly bows His head
To trust His Fa­ther’s hand.

The spot­less Lamb lays down His life,
A cur­se up­on a cross.
Then lives that He might guar­an­tee
That no sheep will be lost.

O! May our hearts grow ev­er fond
Of Mary’s pre­cious boy:
Our Christ, our hope, our heart’s de­sire,
Our king and so­ver­eign joy!

illustration
The Nativity
Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574)