A Selection of Lessons and Carols for the Nativity

Below is my offering for Christmas. Rather than writing something I thought I would compose something with text and music. You can regard it as an online installation or as a liturgy. My inspiration comes in part from the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas, most famously performed every year at Kings College Cambridge. But I found 9 was not enough for me and so I've expanded the lessons to 12, and some of them having multiple 'voices', a practice I've noticed in the Roman rite Easter Vigil Liturgy especially. I also drew on the practice of the old Tridentine rite, to incorporate what was called a Sequence. I have used that for a text from Qumran, one I think quite an important background text for Christian origins. I've also incorporated a series of Graduals, which serve as both a bridging text to the following carols and the next reading as well as a kind of commentary on the text just read.

In constructing this post I have deployed the good old liturgical principle of juxtaposition - texts, music and lyrics all interact with each other to weave a broad effect. No text speaks on its own but contributes to an overall gestalt. I suspect many biblical and para-biblical texts had their origins in just this way. They are composite texts, just as liturgies are composite texts, and other performance pieces like Handel's Messiah. I can't help but think that Isaiah, for example, should be read as a libretto rather than a book.

I had a number of key goals with the weaving of this piece. The first was to represent some of the rich cultural diversity of Christianity. So there is music from the Middle East, Ethiopia. Greece, Russia, and Eastern Europe as well as from Western Europe and North America. I have also tried to give a sense of the Hebraic traditions from which Christianity sprang. There is a popular fiction that Christianity went feral and pagan very early on, dumping its Jewish heritage, hence its popularity and spread in the broader Gentile world. I question that notion. Christianity was born from and retained its Hebraic traditions. Jesus might or might not have been the first Jewish Messiah but he was by no means the last and in so many subsequent Messianic upwellings in Judaism, the same clustering of themes, re grace and law, freedom and transgression, incarnation and deification, sacrifice and redemption, death and resurrection, ritual and sacrament, recur albeit with different emphases. These themes form a dangerous undercurrent within, or below, normative Judaism and are especially associated with Jewish mystical traditions such as Kabbalah. The Hebraic tradition itself represents an exercise of recasting and transforming the older and contemporary 'pagan' milieux from which it itself derived. The Hebrew tradition reconfigured 'paganism' and Christianity brought the fruits of that endeavour to the broader Gentile world/s.

Finally I have tried to make the Christmas story look strange, which is how it should look in my opinion. And so I have drawn on texts that are unfamiliar or not normally used in (Western) Christmas settings. In this I have probably failed, but that's okay :-) - it's a big challenge I set myself. And I should also add that an astute reader should pick up some moments of queer slippage too. Christianity is probably the queerest of all religions, hence the virulent homophobia with which it is all too sadly connected. I regard it too as probably the most dangerously audacious vision of life and our world ever conceived by humans. If it is not true then life probably isn't really worth living in any meaningful way. In my opinion the closest alternative is one sprung from the womb of Christianity itself, Communism (in which I include anarcho-communism and syndicalism). In fact the greatest tragedy of our current world is probably the recurring failure, dare one say betrayal, of both Christianity and Communism by the respective leaderships over the generations.

And so I leave you to read and enjoy. You can do it all in one sitting or come back periodically. If you have limited download capacity then you might not be able to watch all or any of the clips. In that case I have also embedded links to the lyrics and other information wherever possible. So skip the music and follow the link. Except where otherwise indicated all biblical passages are from the RSV. No special reason, just the first online Bible site I found (and one restricted to the standard Protestant canon) was one which gave limited options, of which I thought the RSV the best.

Finally, finally, in light of the recent tragedy at Christmas Island, I would like to remind you that Jesus began his life as a refugee in flight from the cruelties of power at least according to the stories we have and I have tried to acknowledge that too.

And so read on...

A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS FOR THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD

Gaudete, performed by Steeleye Span - Latin text and English translation here

Introit: Psalm 110

¹ A Psalm of David. The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool."

² The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes!

³ Your people will offer themselves freely on the day you lead your host upon the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning like dew your youth will come to you.

⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchiz'edek."

⁵ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.

⁶ He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.

⁷ He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Lesson One - Selections from Genesis in Four Voices

Voice One: Genesis 2.4-8

⁴ These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,

⁵ when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no adam to till the ground;

⁶ but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground--

⁷ then the LORD God formed the adam of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the adam became a living being.

⁸ And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the adam whom he had formed.

Voice 2: Genesis 4.1

¹ Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD."

Voice 3: Genesis 19.30-38

³⁰ Now Lot went up out of Zo'ar, and dwelt in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to dwell in Zo'ar; so he dwelt in a cave with his two daughters.

³¹ And the first-born said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.

³² Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring through our father."

³³ So they made their father drink wine that night; and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

³⁴ And on the next day, the first-born said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring through our father."

³⁵ So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

³⁶ Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.

³⁷ The first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.

³⁸ The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

Voice 4: Genesis 21.1-6

¹ The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.

² And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.

³ Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.

⁴ And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

⁶ And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; every one who hears will laugh over me."

Gradual: Psalm 2.7-10

⁷ I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have begotten you.

⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

¹⁰Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Niño Dios D'amor Herido (Francisco Guerrero) - The title translates roughly Christ-Child Wounded by Love

Lesson Two - Selections from Ruth in Two Voices

Voice One: Ruth 1.7-18

⁷ So she set out from the place where she was, with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

⁸ But Na'omi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

⁹ The LORD grant that you may find a home, each of you in the house of her husband!" Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

¹⁰ And they said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people."

¹¹ But Na'omi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?

¹² Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons,

¹³ would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone forth against me."

¹⁴ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

¹⁵ And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

¹⁶ But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;

¹⁷ where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you."

¹⁸ And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

Voice 2: Ruth 4.13-17

¹³ So Bo'az took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.

¹⁴ Then the women said to Na'omi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next of kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel!

¹⁵ He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him."

¹⁶ Then Na'omi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse.

¹⁷ And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Na'omi." They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Gradual: Isaiah 9.2-6

² The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

³ Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

⁴ For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as on the day of Mid'ian.

⁵ For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(The ancient Greek Septuagint version renders the final part of this verse "and he is named Messenger (Angel) of Great Counsel for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him.")

Whence Comes This Rush of Wings (A Carol of the Birds)

Ethiopian Orthodox Hymn - The Saviour of the World is Born Today

(If you like Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas music, there's another great clip here)

Lesson 3: Selections from Genesis in Four Voices

Voice 1: Genesis 3.1-21

¹ Now the serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

² And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;

³ but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"

⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die.

⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.

⁷ Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

⁸And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

⁹ But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

¹⁰ And he said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

¹¹ He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

¹² The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."

¹³ Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate."

¹⁴ The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

¹⁶ To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."

¹⁷ And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

²⁰ The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

²¹ And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.

Voice 2: Genesis 6.1-6

¹ When men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them,

² the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair; and they took to wife such of them as they chose.

³ Then the LORD said, "My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years."

⁴ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

⁵ The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

⁶ And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

Voice 3: Genesis 18.17-21

¹⁷ The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

¹⁸ seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him?

¹⁹ No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."

²⁰ Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomor'rah is great and their sin is very grave,

²¹ I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know."

Voice 4: 22.1-10

¹ After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."

² He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori'ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

³ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

⁴ On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off.

⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you."

⁶ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

⁷ And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

⁸Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.

⁹ When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

¹⁰ Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Gradual: Wisdom of Solomon 11.22-26 (King James Version)

22: For the whole world before thee is as a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth.

23: But thou hast mercy upon all; for thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend.

24: For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it.

25:And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee?

26:But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls

O Magnum Mysterium

O Magnum Mysterium (setting by Giovanni Gabrieli)

Lesson 4: Selections from Isaiah in Two Voices

Voice 1: Isaiah 7.10-14 from Qumran Great Isaiah Scroll Column VI Lines 25-29

25. (10) [{And continuing YHW}]H spoke to Ahaz saying, (11) Ask for yourself a sign from YHWH your God

26. [{from the deep ask}] it or from the height above. (12) And Ahaz said I will nor ask and I will not

27. [{tempt}] YHWH. (13) And He said, Hear now Oh House of David, is it a small thing for you
28. [{to wear}]y men, will you also weary God, (14) therefore [+YHWH+] [m..adonay] himself will give to you [{a sign}]
29.[{Behold}] the virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son and he shall call his name Immanuel. (15) Butter [{and honey}]

Voice 2: Isaiah 35.1-6 from Qumran Great Isaiah Scroll Column XXVIII Lines 19-24

19. from generation to generation they shall dwell in it. (chapter 35:1.) The wilderness and the desert will rejoice for them and the plain shall be glad and blossom like the rose (2) And it shall blossom profusely, and rejoice even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon

20. is given to her, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of YHWH. the [..majesty..] of our God. (PP)

21. (3) Make strong the weak hands, and firm up the tottering knees. (4) Say to the hasty of heart be strong and do not be afraid behold

22. your God comes with vengeance, with recommence God himself comes and He will save you. (5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened

23. and the ears of the deaf shall be opened., (6) Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb shall sing, because of the breaking out in the wilderness

24. of water and streams in abundance [m..the plain] [+shall go out+].

Gradual: Psalm 118.24-29

²⁴ This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success!

²⁶ Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

²⁷ The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

²⁸ Thou art my God, and I will give thanks to thee; thou art my God, I will extol thee.

²⁹ O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever!

In Dulci Jubilo

Angeli v Nebi/Angels in Heaven, Russian kolyadka/carol sung by the Novokuznetsk Spiritual Seminary Choir

Lesson 5: Proverbs 8.22-31

²² The LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

²³ Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth;

²⁶ before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.

²⁷ When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,

²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

³⁰ then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,

³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.

Gradual: Isaiah 40.1-5

¹ Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

³ A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

⁵ And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

And the Glory of the Lord (Handel)

What else? But this time in Korean sung by the Chai Hoon Cha Choir, Seoul

Czech Carol: Narodil se Kristus Pán/The Lord Christ was Born - Czech lyrics on YouTube page here and if your browser is Google Chrome it will roughly translate them for you too

Lesson 6: Selections from 1 Enoch in Three Voices

Voice 1: 42.1-3

1 Wisdom found no place where she might dwell; Then a dwelling-place was assigned her in the heavens.

2 Wisdom went forth to make her dwelling among the children of men, And found no dwelling-place:

Wisdom returned to her place, And took her seat among the angels.

3 And unrighteousness went forth from her chambers: Whom she sought not she found, And dwelt with them,

As rain in a desert And dew on a thirsty land.

Voice 2: 46.1-3

1 And there I saw One who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels.

2 And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that 3 Son of Man, who he was, and whence he was, (and) why he went with the Head of Days And he answered and said unto me: This is the son of Man who hath righteousness, With whom dwelleth righteousness, And who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden,

Because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen him, And whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness for ever.

Voice 3: 48.1-6

1 And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness Which was inexhaustible: And around it were many fountains of wisdom: And all the thirsty drank of them, And were filled with wisdom, And their dwellings were with the righteous and holy and elect.

2 And at that hour that Son of Man was named In the presence of the Lord of Spirits, And his name before the Head of Days.

3 Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, Before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits.

4 He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, And he shall be the light of the Gentiles, And the hope of those who are troubled of heart.

5 All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.

6 And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, Before the creation of the world and for evermore.

Gradual: Zechariah 9.9-10

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.

¹⁰ I will cut off the chariot from E'phraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Veni, Veni Emmanuel/O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - English lyrics here

Medieval Christmas Music in Prague played by Dubia Fortuna

Sequence: 11Q13 - The Coming of Melchizedek, Qumran text

(...) And concerning what Scripture says, "In this year of Jubilee you shall return, everyone f you, to your property" (Lev. 25;13) And what is also written; "And this is the manner of the remission; every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbor, not exacting it of a neighbor who is a member of the community, because God's remission has been proclaimed" (Deut.15;2) the interpretation is that it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" (Isa. 61;1) (...) just as (...) and from the inheritance of Melchizedek, for (... Melchizedek) , who will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their sins. He shall proclaim this decree in the first week of the jubilee period that follows nine jubilee periods.

Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek. (...) upon them (...) For this is the time decreed for the "Year of Melchizedek`s favor", and by his might he will judge God's holy ones and so establish a righteous kingdom, as it is written about him in the Songs of David ; "A godlike being has taken his place in the council of God; in the midst of divine beings he holds judgement"

(Ps. 82;1). Scripture also says about him ; "Over it take your seat in the highest heaven; A divine being will judge the peoples" (Ps. 7;7-8) Concerning what scripture says; "How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality with the wicked? Selah" (Ps. 82;2) ,the interpretation applies to Belial and the spirits predestined to him, because all of them have rebelled, turning from God's precepts and so becoming utterly wicked. Therefore Melchizedek will thoroughly prosecute the vengeance required by God's statutes. Also, he will deliver all the captives from the power of Belial, and from the power of all the spirits destined to him. Allied with him will be all the "righteous divine beings"(Isa. 61;3).

(The ...) is that whi(ch ...all) the divine beings. The visitation is the Day of Salvation that He has decreed through Isaiah the prophet concerning all the captives, inasmuch as Scripture says, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion "Your divine being reigns"." (Isa. 52;7) This scriptures interpretation : "the mountains" are the prophets, they who were sent to proclaim God's truth and to prophesy to all Israel. "The messengers" is the Anointed of the spirit, of whom Daniel spoke; "After the sixty-two weeks, an Anointed shall be cut off" (Dan. 9;26) The "messenger who brings good news, who announces Salvation" is the one of whom it is written; "to proclaim the year of the LORD`s favor, the day of the vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn" (Isa. 61;2)

This scripture's interpretation: he is to instruct them about all the periods of history for eternity (... and in the statutes) of the truth. (...) (.... dominion) that passes from Belial and returns to the Sons of Light (....) (...) by the judgment of God, just as t is written concerning him; "who says to Zion "Your divine being reigns" (Isa. 52;7) "Zion" is the congregation of all the sons of righteousness, who uphold the covenant and turn from walking in the way of the people. "Your divine being" is Melchizedek, who will deliver them from the power of Belial. Concerning what scripture says, "Then you shall have the trumpet sounded loud; in the seventh month . . . " (Lev. 25;9)

Gradual: 4Q88 - A Psalm on the Last Days from Qumran

Col. 9 [...] The masses

will worship God because He has come to judge everything

and to rid the earth of evil,

so that sinners shall find no repose,

the heavens shall give their due,

and there will be no wrong doings there.

The earth will produce crops in its season

and they shall not fail.

The fruit trees shall [ . . . ] of their vineyards

The poor will eat for those who follow YHWH shall not go hungry

Arabic Hymn of the Nativity - "Today, is born of a Virgin, He who holds the whole creation in His hand"

Diva Sina Porodilla/A Virgin Gives Birth to a Son - Russian kolyadka (carol) sung by the Novokuznetsk Spiritual Seminary Choir

Lesson 7: Ode 19, Odes of Solomon

1. A cup of milk was offered to me, and I drank it in the sweetness of the Lord's kindness.

2. The Son is the cup, and the Father is He who was milked; and the Holy Spirit is She who milked Him;

3. Because His breasts were full, and it was undesirable that His milk should be ineffectually released.

4. The Holy Spirit opened Her bosom, and mixed the milk of the two breasts of the Father.

5. Then She gave the mixture to the generation without their knowing, and those who have received it are in the perfection of the right hand.

6. The womb of the Virgin took it, and she received conception and gave birth.

7. So the Virgin became a mother with great mercies.

8. And she labored and bore the Son but without pain, because it did not occur without purpose.

9. And she did not require a midwife, because He caused her to give life.

10. She brought forth like a strong man with desire, and she bore according to the manifestation, and she acquired according to the Great Power.

11. And she loved with redemption, and guarded with kindness, and declared with grandeur.

Hallelujah.

Gradual: Revelation 12.1-6

¹ And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

² she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery.

³ And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads.

⁴ His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth;

⁵ she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,

⁶ and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days

Angelus ad Virginem - popular medieval carol (follow link for lyrics)

Erourem, Erourem/Rejoice, Rejoice - A Greek Byzantine kalanta (carol), Greek lyrics at YouTube here and if it's your browser is Google Chrome will probably make a reasonable translation of them

Lesson 8: Ascension of Isaiah 10.1-18

AND thereupon I heard the voices and the giving of praise, which I had heard in each of the six heavens, ascending and being heard there:

2. And all were being sent up to that Glorious One whose glory I could not behold.

3. And I myself was hearing and beholding the praise (which was given) to Him.

4. And the Lord and the angel of the Spirit were beholding all and hearing all.

5. And all the praises which are sent up from the six heavens are not only heard, but seen.

6. And I heard the angel who conducted me and he said: "This is the Most High of the high ones, dwelling in the holy world, and resting in His holy ones, who will be called by the Holy Spirit through the lips of the righteous the Father of the Lord."

7. And I heard the voice of the Most High, the Father of my Lord, saying to my Lord Christ who will be called Jesus:

8. "Go forth and descent through all the heavens, and thou wilt descent to the firmament and that world: to the angel in Sheol thou wilt descend, but to Haguel thou wilt not go.

9. And thou wilt become like unto the likeness of all who are in the five heavens.

10. And thou wilt be careful to become like the form of the angels of the firmament [and the angels also who are in Sheol].

11. And none of the angels of that world shall know that Thou art with Me of the seven heavens and of their angels.

12. And they shall not know that Thou art with Me, till with a loud voice I have called (to) the heavens, and their angels and their lights, (even) unto the sixth heaven, in order that you mayest judge and destroy the princes and angels and gods of that world, and the world that is dominated by them:

13. For they have denied Me and said: "We alone are and there is none beside us."

14. And afterwards from the angels of death Thou wilt ascend to Thy place. And Thou wilt not be transformed in each heaven, but in glory wilt Thou ascend and sit on My right hand.

15. And thereupon the princes and powers of that world will worship Thee."

16. These commands I heard the Great Glory giving to my Lord.

17. And so I saw my Lord go forth from the seventh heaven into the sixth heaven.

18. And the angel who conducted me [from this world was with me and] said unto me: "Understand, Isaiah, and see the transformation and descent of the Lord will appear.

Gradual: Exodus 40.34-35; 2 Chronicles 7.1-2

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle

***

¹ When Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

² And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house

Nebo i Zemlya/Earth and Heaven - Russian kolyadka (carol), English translation here

Χριστός γεννάται σήμερον/Christ is Born Today - Greek kalanta (carol) possibly from old Smyrna (now Izmir Turkey)

Lesson 9: Hebrews 1.1-12

¹ In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets;

² but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

³ He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs.

⁵ For to what angel did God ever say, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"?

⁶ And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

⁷ Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."

⁸ But of the Son he says, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom.

⁹ Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy comrades."

¹⁰And, "Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands;

¹¹they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment,

¹² like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end."

Gradual: Philippians 2.5-9

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

⁸ And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name

Wexford Carol - Traditional Irish Christmas Hymn, lyrics on Wikipedia site and at YouTube

I Saw a Swete Semly Syght - Medieval carol, lyrics at YouTube here

Lesson 10: Protoevangelium (Infancy Gospel) of James 17.1-19.16

17. And there was an order from the Emperor Augustus, that all in Bethlehem of Judæa should be enrolled (cf. Luke 2:1). And Joseph said: 'I shall enrol my sons, but what shall I do with this maiden? How shall I enrol her? As my wife? I am ashamed. As my daughter then? But all the sons of Israel know that she is not my daughter. The day of the Lord shall itself bring it to pass as the Lord wilt.' And he saddled the ass, and set her upon it; and his son led it, and Joseph followed. And when they had come within three miles, Joseph turned and saw her sorrowful; and he said to himself: 'Likely that which is in her distresses her.' And again Joseph turned and saw her laughing. And he said to her: 'Mary, how is it that I see in thy face at one time laughter, at another sorrow?' And Mary said to Joseph: 'Because I see two peoples with mine eyes; the one weeping and lamenting, and the other rejoicing and exulting.' And they came into the middle of the road, and Mary said to him: 'Take me down from off the ass, for that which is in me presses to come forth.' And he took her down from off the ass, and said to her: 'Whither shall I lead thee, and cover thy disgrace? For the place is desert.'

18. And he found a cave there, and led her into it; and leaving his two sons beside her, he went out to seek a midwife in the district of Bethlehem.

And I, Joseph, was walking, and was not walking; and I looked up into the sky, and saw the sky astonished; and I looked up to the pole of the heavens, and saw it standing, and the birds of the air keeping still. And I looked down upon the earth, and saw a trough lying, and work-people reclining: and their hands were in the trough. And those that were eating did not eat, and those that were rising did not carry it up, and those that were conveying anything to their mouths did not convey it; but the faces of all were looking upwards. And I saw the sheep walking, and the sheep stood still; and the shepherd raised his hand to strike them, and his hand remained up. And I looked upon the current of the river, and I saw the mouths of the kids resting on the water and not drinking, and all things in a moment were driven from their course.

19. And I saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: 'O man, whither art thou going?' And I said: 'I am seeking an Hebrew midwife.' And she answered and said unto me: 'Art thou of Israel?' And I said to her: 'Yes.' And she said: 'And who is it that is bringing forth in the cave?' And I said: 'A woman betrothed to me.' And she said to me: 'Is she not thy wife?' And I said to her: 'It is Mary that was reared in the temple of the Lord, and I obtained her by lot as my wife. And yet she is not my wife, but hath conceived of the Holy Spirit.'

And the widwife said to him: 'Is this true?' And Joseph said to her: 'Come and see.' And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: 'My soul hath been magnified this day, because mine eyes have seen strange things—because salvation hath been brought forth to Israel.' And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary.

Gradual: Isaiah 42.1-4

¹ Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations.

² He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;

³a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

⁴ He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law

The Cherry Tree Carol, sung by Joan Baez, lyrics here

Nowell We Sing

Lesson 11: From Gospel according to Luke

Luke 2.1-14

¹ In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. ² This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. ⁷And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ⁸ And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; ¹¹ for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

Gloria in Excelsis Deo (J S Bach)

Luke 2.15-28, 34-35

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶ And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; ¹⁸ and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. ²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²² And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." ²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷ And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took him up in his arms and blessed God

³⁴ and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

Gradual: Protoevangelium of James 22.1-8

22. And when Herod knew that he had been mocked by the Magi, in a rage he sent murderers, saying to them: 'Slay the children from two years old and under.' And Mary, having heard that the children were being killed, was afraid, and took the infant and swaddled Him, and put Him into an ox-stall. And Elizabeth, having heard that they were searching for John, took him and went up into the hill-country, and kept looking where to conceal him. And there was no place of concealment. And Elizabeth, groaning with a loud voice, said: 'O mountain of God, receive mother and child.' And immediately the mountain was cleft, and received her. And a light shone about them, for an angel of the Lord was with them, watching over them.

Coventry Carol (Trad, 15th century), sung by Tori Amos, lyrics

The Coventry Carol sung by Joan Baez

O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night, Philadelphia Municipal Employees Chorale Ensemble

Lesson 12: From the Gospel of John the Beloved

John 1.1-14

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² He was in the beginning with God;

³ all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷ He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.

⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not.

¹¹ He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.

¹² But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;

¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father

Gradual: 1 John 4.7-9; Revelation 21.2-6

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God.

⁸ He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.

⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

***

² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband;

³ and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them;

⁴ he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."

⁵ And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."

⁶ And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment.

Verbum Caro Factum Est/And the Word Was made Flesh (John 1.14)

El Cant Des Ocells/Carol of the Birds (Traditional Catalan), English translation here

Concluding Prayer and Blessing - Peace Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

And so, dear reader, I wish you peace this Christmas and I pray that 2011 will be rich in wonder for you. As a parting gift for you this Noel I give you a link to this marvellous clip of Aretha Franklin and Billy Preston performing 'O Holy Night' live. There's a little bit of TV show chat at the start but stick with it, it's worth it. I would have used it here but embedding was disabled. And I close our little celebration here with yet another version of Gaudete.