Fear Not

For the Feast of the Immaculate Conception: the Annunciation in an Advent mode, sung to “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” (of course).

 Fear not, all you in shadows deep,
 for God his hand on you shall keep,
 and though you walk in death's dark shade
 the dawn breaks forth, as long you prayed.
He comes! He comes! Through doubt and gloom
 his light breaks open every tomb.
 
 Fear not, O Mary, trembling here,
 though immanence to you draw near.
 This shadow coming over you
 is Godhead making all things new.
 He comes! He comes! The dawn on high
 shall come, but with an infant's cry.
  
 Fear not, though kings and judges past
 too long their empty shadows cast.
 For David's throne shall fill with light
 to raise the poor to glory bright.
 He comes! He comes! The proud cast down,
 the lowly wear his shining crown.
  
 Fear not, though deserts overflow;
 this flood shall drown the ancient foe
 and death be conquered now by grace,
 by light that rises in God's face.
 He comes! He comes! Emmanuel
 shall bring you day, O Israel!

*The Annunciation* in Armenian art by Toros Taronetsi, 1323. By Unknown author – Évangile de Toros de Taron, Matenadaran, Yerevan, pp. 31, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=96543029

Oh, Love, Be Not Afraid

“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
Luke 1:30-33

To the tune NUN DANKET (“Now Thank We All Our God”):

Oh, love, be not afraid,
though all your world seems ending.
The hope for which you prayed
God in his mercy sending
rains down on you today,
the ancient wound to mend.
Here, now, in you today,
do earth and heaven blend.

All generations bless
your courage in this moment.
You speak, unfettered, “Yes,”
and break the chains of torment.
With every foll'wing breath,
the Son of God takes form
and binds himself to death,
that new worlds may be born.

Fear not the coming days,
nor all your life's upheaval:
God walks along your ways
to meet and conquer evil.
All through the night, his blaze
before you still shall be;
all shadowed souls shall praise
the glory you set free.

The Annunciation (*Evangelismos*). Orthodox style icon by anonymous, 1825, Church Museum of the Bishopry of Thessaloniki By Anonymous – https://repository.kallipos.gr/bitstream/11419/3927/1/05_chapter_3.pdf Ζητήματα εικαστικής πραγμάτευσης της θρησκευτικής εικονογραφίας από τους παραδοσιακούς ζωγράφους του 19ου αιώναΙλιάνα Ζάρρα, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49969498

The Words of the Angel: Annunciation 2020

Rejoice, oh highly favored one,
you lowly, once-unseen!
The night is past and day begun
in you, my someday-queen.
Rejoice, for something never done
(but, oh, how long foreseen!)
takes form in you. The Most High's son
stands earth and heav'n between.

Rejoice! The sky that now is closed
will open once again;
a spring arise, by walls enclosed,
to water Eden's plain.
Rejoice! Though death's dominion grows,
it shall be bound in chain,
for heaven's prince himself deposed
to share in mortal pain.

Rejoice! The shadow over you,
the brooding Spirit's wings.
Though terrors howl the long night through,
Christ's heart within you sings.
Rejoice! His day will dawn anew
with all the hope it brings.
There is no work God cannot do
to crown his children kings.

German; Plaque With the Annunciation, late 15th Century; Metalwork-Silver, This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. See the Image and Data Resources Open Access Policy, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60935528

Mary

In the readings for today’s feast of the Immaculate Conception, we hear Mary assenting to God’s will, reversing Eve and Adam‘s first disobedience. The Incarnation turns a lot of things on their heads.

  I heard them singing David's songs
when I was just a little girl,
 not knowing he was king,
 but hearing something sweet and strong
 among the trumpets all a-skirl
 that made me want to sing.
 
  I later learned of David's reign
 and of the kingdom we have lost
 beneath the Romans' rule.
 I know we want a king again
 (and some would say, at any cost)
 and Israel's renewal.
  
 But when the angel said I'd bear
 a son to rule in David's place,
 I didn't think of kings,
 but heard instead the trumpets' blare
 that set my joyous heart to race
 and stirred the angel's wings.
 
  With every day I swell and round
 and wonder what new life shall start
 and feel the time grow long.
 I do not dream of thrones and crowns,
 when I in silence hear my heart,
 but hope for harps and songs.