O Daughter Zion, Sing For Joy

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
       Sing joyfully, O Israel!
   Be glad and exult with all your heart,
       O daughter Jerusalem!
   The LORD has removed the judgment against you
       he has turned away your enemies;
   the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
       you have no further misfortune to fear.
   On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
       Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
   The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
       a mighty savior;
   he will rejoice over you with gladness,
       and renew you in his love,
   he will sing joyfully because of you,
       as one sings at festivals.
Zephaniah 3:14-18a

Can be sung to the tune CAROL (“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”):

O daughter Zion, sing for joy;
lift up your wounded heart
and hear at last the saving voice
that echoes in the dark:
It says that love is born anew
and light is dawning clear,
for God is singing over you
and swiftly drawing near.

The enemies before your gates
shall flee before God's might,
and those within—your pride and hate—
shall vanish in his light,
for he has come to drive out fear
that drives us like the wind.
Rise up, for he is drawing near,
and let him enter in!

Rise up and shine with his own light,
for he is Christ the flame
who loves the morning and the night
and burns in them the same.
Take courage, Zion, at the last
and sing with all your heart:
Your shame is burned to dust and ash,
consumed by Christ the spark!

Spray of sparks from a Bessemer converter as air is blown through the molten metal By Alfred T. Palmer – This image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs divisionunder the digital ID fsac.1a35063.This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing for more information., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8094060

Come, Light

To the tune NON DIGNUS (“O Lord, I Am Not Worthy”):

Come, Light; dispel our darkness
and drive our gloom away.
Shine on the brokenhearted
and bring us into day.

Speak, Word, into our silence
and let the echoes ring.
Still all cries of violence
and teach our hearts to sing.

As grace on grace come fill us,
unfailing stream that flows
from God's eternal stillness:
Come, overflow our souls.

God's only Son, begotten
before the deeps of time,
come claim all we've forgotten
and bring them into life.

Come, wellspring of creation:
Your wonders wait for you.
Come with their restoration—
oh, come; make all things new!

And in the endless dawning
of your now-breaking day
rise in our hearts as morning,
and ever shining stay.

*Christ as the True Light (Christus vera lux).* Woodcut, 8.4 × 27.7 cm, Kunstmuseum Basel. By Hans Holbein the Younger – Stephanie Buck, Hans Holbein, Cologne: Könemann, 1999, ISBN 3829025831 <a href=”javascript:Pick it!ISBN: 3829025831″><img style=”border: 0px none ;” src=”http://www.citavi.com/softlink?linkid=FindIt” alt=”Pick It!” title=’Titel anhand dieser ISBN in Citavi-Projekt übernehmen’></a> ., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5994089

Drive Away the Night

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.”
Mark 13:24-31

The sun itself has darkened;
the moon gives no more light.
Our every fear has sharpened,
but nowhere can we hide.

The night still grows yet deeper;
the stars themselves fall down,
and over all, our weeping
is now the only sound.

All this is merely midnight!
There is no sign of day,
no hint at all of dawnlight
to drive the dark away.

But there shall be no warning,
no whispers of that hour
'til suddenly the dawning
fills heaven with its power!

When shall we see that glory
and know at last that light?
O sun of justice, show us,
and break upon our sight!

Then weeping turns to dancing,
and all our sorrows cease:
Our armies stop advancing,
and we at last have peace!

O Son of God, come quickly
and fill the earth with light!
O Son of Man, come heal us
and drive away the night!

*The Last Judgement*. The Louvre. By Jean Cousin the Younger, also called Jehan Cousin Le Jeune (lived c. 1522–1595). – Blunt, Anthony. Art and Architecture in France: 1500–1700. New Haven (CT): Yale University Press, [1957] 1999 edition. ISBN 0300077483. Page 99., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2874303

When I consider that my light is bent

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
Luke 6: 39-42

I cannot see the beam that dims my eye;
I think the light I see is all there is.
I do not sense my savior standing by
who waits to make my vision more like his.

But then he reaches out, and something shifts,
and I am stunned by what I start to see
as what I did not know was darkness lifts.
A light I had not known yet pierces me.

O healer of my life and of my soul,
come place your hands upon mine as they grope
to catch the beam and make my vision whole,
and see at last the beacon of your hope.

When in that light I see yet other beams—
enough to hang your body by the nails—
still guide me, though my hope but dimply gleams.
Still be the healing hand that never fails.

And one by one help me to draw them out,
until my vision clears yet more and more.
Help me to seek the light through all my doubt,
and make my sight at last, my Lord, like yours.

Mote and Beam By Minus Megerdich Zorab / Minus (Minas) M. Zorab (1833–1896) – http://images.wellcome.ac.uk/indexplus/image/V0017118.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24156987

Within the Darkness

Within the darkness of the womb
you spoke my name and let me be.
The darkness was as light to you
as now my light is dark to me.

Teach me the measure of my days;
I count them back, but cannot tell
the meaning of the life you made—
though I know you make all things well.

Should I rise up or should I lie,
or should I act or even think
you know it better, Lord, than I,
writ down in never-fading ink.

Should I run out beyond the dawn,
or turn and to the darkness speak,
you know the words upon my tongue
with all the clarity I seek.

And when I come upon my death
or sink into the realms of gloom,
still do you know me in myself
within the darkness of the tomb.

Give me a little of your light—
yourself proceeding from yourself—
and break me open to my sight
to know you and to know myself.

By Caravaggio – Self-scanned, Public Domain, https://commBy Caravaggio – Self-scanned, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15219497ons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15219497

Caravaggio‘s The Calling of St Matthew uses darkness for its chiaroscuro effects. – Self-scanned, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15219497

What Is This Light?

What is this light that dawns at last
to pierce my eyes and daze my mind?
These sharpened shadows that it casts
as fleeing darkness falls behind?

Not gone—the night is never gone—
but it retreats before the day,
and I, that had forgotten dawn,
am blind and helpless in its rays.

Come, Lord, who led me through the dark;
come, angels that around me camp:
Do not forsake this lifted heart,
but bear me still the lighted lamp!

My stumblings shall uncovered be;
my faults laid open to the sky.
No more shall darkness comfort me—
walk with me while the sun is high!

Lord, touch my eyes and strengthen them
to bear the vision of the day,
to see the New Jerusalem,
though I will struggle on the way.

And if I cannot make it there,
then bear me as your bore the cross
until I come, your light to share
through every night and every loss.

Sculpture “Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus” by Johann Heinrich Stöver, 1861. St John’s Church, Erbach, Rheingau, Hesse, Germany. Photo By Marion Halft – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19541671

And the Word Was Made Flesh

For Christmas Mass During the Day‘s “In the beginning was the Word” Gospel reading. To the tune PUER NOBIS (“What Star Is This?”):

 The Word that was before the light,
 that, spoken, called the light to be,
 now wordless comes in dark of night
 to set our unsung praises free.
  
 For we have walked in darkness long,
 been separated from the day,
 but now the Light comes us among
 to lead us in his dawning way.
  
 The hills and valleys that he formed
 who gathered waters in the sea
 are from their ancient moorings torn,
 while rivers clap their hands to see
  
 that swords are bent to shear and plow,
 to tend the waste where gardens spring.
 The deserts deep in pasture now
 run straight with highways where we sing:

A child is born in Bethlehem,
 the ancient of all days newborn,
 and we are born again in him,
 from darkness rising in his morn! 
 
The Father praise, who spoke and made;
 and praise the light from light, the Son;
 and praise the Spirit, light arrayed
 like guiding stars 'til night is done!

Virgen entronizada con el Niño sobre su rodilla izquierda. El Niño sostiene una filacteria con inscripción bastente perdida ” EGO SUM LUX MUNDI EGO SUM REX MUNDI” Museo Arqueologico Nacional Madrid, Photo By jacinta lluch valero from madrid * barcelona…., (España-Spain) – Virgen con Niño * Figura exenta, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52513515

Christ the Savior, Christ the Son

But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

To the tune CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM (“Creator of the Stars of Night”):

 We bore our darkness deep within,
 and shadows dimmed our every day.
 No rising sun dispelled our sin
 nor lit for us a better way.
 
 'Til in the mercy of our God
 the dawn broke open in our heart
 to show the backward path we trod
 and light the way today shall start.
  
 There now pours down from heaven's clouds
 the Spirit's rain to wash us clean,
 to lift the hearts in sorrow bowed,
 renewing all that we had been.
  
 In Christ the savior, Christ the Son
 are we made heirs of endless life
 and onward given grace to run
 to hope and peace from ceaseless strife.
  
 To God the maker of all light
 and Christ the sun of endless days
 and Spirit, source of all our might,
 we sing unceasing songs of praise.

*Christ as the True Light (Christus vera lux).* By Hans Holbein – Stephanie Buck, Hans Holbein, Cologne: Könemann, 1999, ISBN 3829025831 <a href=”javascript:Pick it!ISBN: 3829025831″><img style=”border: 0px none ;” src=”http://www.citavi.com/softlink?linkid=FindIt” alt=”Pick It!” title=’Titel anhand dieser ISBN in Citavi-Projekt übernehmen’></a> ., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5994089

Somewhere a Light

[I]n your light we see light.
Psalm 36:10

Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19

 I have my eyes, but do not see;
 my ears, but do not hear,
 except the sparks of enmity,
 the whispers of my fear.
  
 Somewhere a light is shining out
 that gives our lights their name;
 beyond the shadows of my doubt
 it limns the world in flame.
  
 If I could see by your own light
 or had your sight divine
 to see my neighbor's face aright—
 or even to see mine— 
 
 as you see us, creating God,
 as you made us to be
 when first you breathed into the sod:
 That marvel may I see!
  
 As you see each and every face
 reflecting back your own,
 may I—oh, give to me the grace!—
 see what your light has shown!
  
 Raise up within my darkened heart
 your own bright morning star,
 and by the light that you impart,
 let me see what we are!

Light shining through a window, Chicago Union Station. By Jack Delano – Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, reproduction number LC-USZ62-130260scan of a b&w film copy neg. from print, 12MB TIFF file, cropped to remove print edges, denoising, rescaled and converted to JPEGFarm Security Administration / Office of War Information / Office of Emergency Management / Resettlement Administration, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53096

Earthly Light

Could our hands hold the sun
and not be burned away?
Then how could David's earthly son
hold all the light of day?
In all our ways but one
(Night holds in him no sway.)
he shared our lives, and still shines on
true light's undimming ray.

How can we hold that light,
too earthly David's kin?
We who have loved the works of night,
could we let daylight in?
We can but by his sight,
who sees what we have been
and what we are and what we might,
and seeks our love to win.

If by his eyes we see,
we can behold his face
in every heart where it may be
by mercy and by grace.
Then, fragile as are we
and earthly as our ways,
we hold him burning, bright and free,
and are on earth his rays.