Author: householdoftheholyfamily

The cries of Holy Innocents
     Now echo through the years,
For wrath of evil was not spent
     Or washed away by tears.

Those Innocents from every age
     Join those from Herod’s day
And feel the Devil’s timeless rage
     Against Him who’s the Way.

But all the Innocents who die
     Join those from Herod’s time
And find our Lord has heard their cry:
     A Mothers arms they find–

For Mary waits at Jesus’ side
     To welcome each one there;
Forever each one now resides
     In home beyond compare. 

Our sheep that night kept drifting east,
Would not bed down and sleep the night;
Their restlessness would never cease,
Like they were drawn to distant light.

It came from village, Bethlehem,
And seemed to penetrate the dark.
We were content to follow them;
They to the village our path marked.

And then the wonder of it all
Burst forth above in angels’ song;
We know to Bethlehem we’re called
For with our sheep there we belong.

We see the light from stable comes,
And our sheep for us lead the way–
As light in us our hearts become–
Where Baby in a manger lay.

Our sheep that night just seemed to know
The Baby there was one of them,
Yet also Shepherd–now bestowed
On world, is born in Bethlehem.   

Where is this castle that we seek
     Where Son of God is born,
A royal Son His Mother keeps
     With father safe from harm?

But castle here there cannot be
     In sleepy village small;
A King is who we came to see,
     Not One in cattle stall.

But there He lies in new-mown hay
     And wrapped in swaddling clothes,
A Baby born who is God’s way,
     With Lily, birthed her rose. 

Around them both are arms so strong
     Of Joseph, cares for them,
And for those three our hearts now long:
     We’re here in Bethlehem. 

He takes upon Him human flesh
     To come to us below,
With Mary, Joseph, form a crèche
     So God Himself we know.

We know in Him is heaven’s love
     And hear the angels sing,
As Shepherds, Wise, by Spirit’s Dove
     Are led within their ring.

A ring of love these three become,
     A likeness of God here.
Through them He bids us all to come,
     Step in and join them there.

Step through their gate is heaven’s will
     For us in image made.
Our sin and death forever killed;
     We step from Eden’s shade.

A shade that light now penetrates
     In stable where He’s born,
As Mary, Joseph, contemplate
     Their Son whom world adorns.

Adorned with crown of thorns one day
     He’ll suffer, die, and rise,
And breathe His Spirit who will stay:
     Forever with us ‘bide.

Abides with us on Christmas Day
     And ever after years,
For in the end He’ll have His way
     With us, so have no fear.  

The Star of Bethlehem reflects her light
On Him, her son, who will in manger lie,
For “yes” she speaks gives light to earth’s dark night,
And all who follow Star by her made wise.

Her Morning Star’s first light will herald dawn
Of Him descends from heaven to our earth
And brings to us the One for whom we’ve longed,
For we know in His Bethlehem new birth.

The wisdom in her light shines on Him clear—
The more we gaze on Him, more truth we see—
And we know she with Him holds all us dear
As we become who we are meant to be.

Come, Mary, Morning Star, begin our day
And shine on Him who is Life, Truth, and Way. 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

He comes to all the earth bring peace
That we within lay down our swords
So inner strife in us will cease;
We’re captive to our Father’s Word.

We follow Star to Bethlehem
Where Father’s Word as Baby comes
To capture all our hearts in Him
So peaceful persons we’ll become.

When peace will come to human hearts
Then peace will all earth’s nations know
As God to all His truth imparts
And once again His fruit will grow.

That fruit is grown on Tree of Life
Which we can eat, for He decides
What’s good and evil and brings light
To hearts where He again resides.