Here’s an Advent poem/song from
Madeleine L’Engle, inspired by the traditional “O Antiphons.” It was posted on Prayers and Creeds.
Advent Poem:
O Oriens
O come, O come Emmanuel
within this fragile vessel here to dwell.
O Child conceived by heaven’s power
give me thy strength: it is the hour.
within this fragile vessel here to dwell.
O Child conceived by heaven’s power
give me thy strength: it is the hour.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high;
like any babe at life you cry;
for me, like any mother, birth
was hard, O light of earth.
like any babe at life you cry;
for me, like any mother, birth
was hard, O light of earth.
O come, O come, thou Lord of
might,
whose birth came hastily at night,
born in a stable, in blood and pain
is this the king who comes to reign?
whose birth came hastily at night,
born in a stable, in blood and pain
is this the king who comes to reign?
O come, thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,
the stars will be thy diadem.
How can the infinite finite be?
Why choose, child, to be born of me?
the stars will be thy diadem.
How can the infinite finite be?
Why choose, child, to be born of me?
O come, thou key of David, come,
open the door to my heart-home.
I cannot love thee as a king–
so fragile and so small a thing.
open the door to my heart-home.
I cannot love thee as a king–
so fragile and so small a thing.
O come, thou Day-spring from on
high:
I saw the signs that marked the sky.
I heard the beat of angels’ wings
I saw the shepherds and the kings.
I saw the signs that marked the sky.
I heard the beat of angels’ wings
I saw the shepherds and the kings.
O come, Desire of nations, be
simply a human child to me.
Let me not weep that you are born.
The night is gone. Now gleams the morn.
simply a human child to me.
Let me not weep that you are born.
The night is gone. Now gleams the morn.
Rejoice,
rejoice, Emmanuel,
God’s Son, God’s Self, with us to dwell.
God’s Son, God’s Self, with us to dwell.
