Lo! He abhors not the virgin's womb...

Last Christmas was a very difficult and scary time for us as our son was born very ill. But now, the Lord has turned our weeping into rejoicing. Noah, who is doing very well, will turn 1 year old the day after Christmas. Celebrating the Lord's birth followed by our own son's birth could not be a more joyous occasion!

For those who love the hymn "O Come All Ye Faithful," I commend to you the 5th Century hymn Te Deum Laudamus on which the Christmas hymn we sing is based ("abhors not the Virgin's womb" is the initial tip-off.

As you read through the lyrics to Te Deum Laudamus, you can see how a few themes, their order, and even a few phrases in the hymn we sing are lifted from the English translation of Te Deum found in Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer.

Originally, according to long tradition, Te Deum originated with Sts. Augustine and Ambrose, on the occasion of the latter's baptism of the former. The overall thematic structure loosely follows those in the Apostles' Creed.

Google "Te Deum" at YouTube to get an idea of how much music this ancient hymn has inspired.

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

We praise thee, O God :

we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee :

the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud :

the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.

To thee Cherubin and Seraphin :

continually do cry,

Holy, Holy, Holy :

Lord God of Sabaoth;

Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty :

of thy glory.

The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.

The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world :

doth acknowledge thee;

The Father : of an infinite Majesty;

Thine honourable, true : and only Son;

Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.

Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man :

thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death :

thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.

We therefore pray thee, help thy servants :

whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people :

and bless thine heritage.

Govern them : and lift them up for ever.

Day by day : we magnify thee;

And we worship thy Name : ever world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord : to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us : have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us :

as our trust is in thee.

O Lord, in thee have I trusted :

let me never be confounded.

For all of you who rejoice at Christmas at God's blessing of children, I find my heart full of joy for you. For those who have many moments at Christmas where they remember the children that God has taken to be with Him, I offer the words of Lam. 3:22-25:

The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Thy faithfulness.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him."

God's heart is good to us, whether our sons and daughters celebrate Christmas with us or in heaven. Except we who are still here, only know of God's restoration in part; those that are with Him know fully.

This time of year always takes me back to my first pregnancey. I remember the wonder of being newly pregnant, standing waiting for a bus, watching the winter twilight and thinking "wow, there is a little person growing unseen by anyone". It was such a magical time, full of wonder, a time of remembering another Mary centuries before who also was carrying a Child and thinking "wow I'm pregnant at Christmas also." Every year since at Christmas I think of him, my firstborn, who has grown up in Heaven. I remember his only Christmas with us a year later only this time being heartbroken knowing it would be his only Christmas. A few weeks later he surcumbed to a inoperable heart defect and the Lord took His little lamb home.

This post and the comments have been encouraging and again a reminder that indeed children (and grandchildren) are a blessing from the Lord. Mary

Chest-bursting proud/grateful to God for our daughter and her husband...

...let the reader understand...

Amen, and AMEN!

> ...let the reader understand...

Haha.

Deo gratias divites ago novam vitam creanti!

...which being translated, is....

Rich thanks to God who creates new life!

Warm congratulations, dear Weeks and Bakers, from snowy MI!

Warmly,