A 15th Century Christmas Message
Today’s Christmas-related post is clipped from Chip Stam’s “Worship Quote of the Week.” Click the link to subscribe.
FIFTEENTH-CENTURY CHRISTMAS SERMON
Seek the Lord, while he may be found; call on him, while he is near” (Isa. 55:6). Arise, all you faithful of Christ: eagerly gather for this reverent observance of the Lord’s birth. For this is the most holy night on which the Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ, chose to be born of the glorious Virgin Mary. Arise, therefore, all, and watch. Prepare your hearts and pray. The Lord has come. Come and adore. Seek Jesus, and you will find him. Knock at the door and it will be opened to you. Enter the house and you will see. Our King has arrived. Christ has been born to us. Come, let us adore and fall down before him: for he it is who made us. Come, you angels and archangels: chant and rejoice and sing psalms. Be glad, you just in the Lord: sing a hymn to our God. Proclaim his works among the nations. God has come in the flesh. He who is never away from us in the divine is with us in human nature. Come, little and great, old and aged, youths and maidens: sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wonders this day. Lift up your hearts with your hands to heaven and above all rejoicing give glory to his praise.
The Lord is with us: do not be sad. Put on the garments of gladness and joy, you chosen ones of God. Cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. As in the light of day, so let us watch this sacred night. Let us rejoice and exult. Let us sing songs and hymns. Let us praise God our Savior. Let us offer him our vows. Let us present him the service of our mouth, The Lord is with us, depart not, weary not, but stand strongly, and sing psalms to him with cheerfulness. . . .
Therefore be glad and rejoice, daughter of Zion. Give praise, O Jerusalem. For this day true peace has come down from heaven to appease and restore the things that are in heaven and the things that are on earth. This day the true Light has shone on the earth to enlighten everyone that believes in him. This day there is great joy in Israel, for Christ is born in Bethlehem. This day throughout the world the heavens are flowing with honey; for from the mouth of the learned comes very sweet speeches by which the weak are refreshed, the devout consoled, the ignorant instructed, the slothful aroused, the faithful strengthened, and unbelievers put to shame.
Today the angels rejoice, the archangels exult, and all the just are expressing adoration and spiritual joy. Today night is turned into day and great brightness, for to those with righteous hearts a light has risen up in darkness, the merciful and compassionate Lord. . . . And when the day shall have dawned, may the Sun of Justice, who is born shine in the hearts of all those who love him, and may fresh devotion again rise in the hearts of all who celebrate. . . .
O blessed and joyful birth, which has changed the curse of our first parents into blessing and has turned their grief into everlasting joy. This night is truly worthy of the awe and love of all people, the night in which Christ permitted himself to be delivered in order to deliver all.
Blessed therefore be the holy Trinity, by whose goodness and wisdom the dignity of humanity has been restored and the cunning of the devil deceived. I bless you, heavenly Father, who sent your beloved Son into the world for our redemption. I bless you only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who to redeem us assumed our nature. I bless you, Holy Spirit, the paraclete, who gloriously and wondrously perfected all the mysteries of our redemption from the beginning to the end. To you be infinite praise and glory, to you be honor and empire, O supreme, eternal Trinity, by whose providence and ordering so sweet and solemn a festival has come to us. Amen.
—Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471), from Proclaiming the Christmas Gospel: Ancient Sermons and Hymns for Contemporary Christian Inspiration. Edited by John D. Witvliet and David Vroege. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004, pages 102-4. ISBN 0-8010-6405-8.
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Posted: December 21st, 2007 under Carnival of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas Alliance, Linkfests.
Tags: Christmas, Gospel, Gospel proclamation
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Trackback from The World According To Carl
Time December 21, 2007 at 1:36 PM
Christmas Video: “Christmas Eve-Sarejevo (12-24)” — Trans-Siberian Orchestra…
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Pingback from » Friday Video Break: Christmas » Leaning Straight Up » Blog Archive »
Time December 21, 2007 at 1:55 PM
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Trackback from Mark My Words
Time December 21, 2007 at 3:09 PM
Huckabee – Christian leader?…
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Pingback from THE MIDNIGHT SUN » Blog Archive » CHRISTMAS: LOVE IT OR HATE IT
Time December 21, 2007 at 4:18 PM
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Pingback from Fla newspaper publishes problem teacher list « nuke’s
Time December 21, 2007 at 5:07 PM
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Comment from T F Stern
Time December 21, 2007 at 5:46 PM
I find it interesting when simple truths remain unchanged from one generation to another, or in this case, one century to another. In the case of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth never changes, that is the very foundation of my faith.
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Time December 21, 2007 at 5:48 PM
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Time December 21, 2007 at 7:39 PM
The Really Bad Strain of Staphylococcus Aureus…
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Time December 21, 2007 at 9:30 PM
Fred Thompson – prolife…
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Time December 21, 2007 at 10:12 PM
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Pingback from The World According To Carl
Time December 22, 2007 at 12:10 AM
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Trackback from The World According To Carl
Time December 22, 2007 at 12:16 AM
PhotoHunt 89: Light…
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Time December 22, 2007 at 12:27 AM
Godly Wisdom — December 21, 2007…
Care About Your Neighbour’s Needs
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Time December 22, 2007 at 12:32 AM
Christmas Video: “Elf’s Lament” (Live) — Barenaked Ladies…
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Time December 22, 2007 at 3:15 AM
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Time December 22, 2007 at 6:22 AM
Mr. Christmas Spirit…
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Time December 22, 2007 at 7:32 AM
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Time December 22, 2007 at 10:29 AM
The Spirit of Christmas and Religious Bigotry…
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Time December 22, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Americans Cannot Celebrate Christmas…
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Time December 22, 2007 at 11:36 AM
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Time December 22, 2007 at 2:09 PM
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Trackback from Mark My Words
Time December 22, 2007 at 6:54 PM
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Time December 22, 2007 at 9:04 PM
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Trackback from Mark My Words
Time December 23, 2007 at 2:05 AM
A Christmas holiday message for our troops…
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Trackback from Woman Honor Thyself
Time December 23, 2007 at 4:00 PM
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words…
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Pingback from The World According To Carl
Time December 23, 2007 at 6:54 PM
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Time December 23, 2007 at 6:56 PM
Christmas 2007 Wreath On My Front Door…
This year’s Christmas wreath on my front door.
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Time December 23, 2007 at 7:28 PM
Christmas Videos: Aaron Neville (3 Christmas Songs)…
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Trackback from Planck’s Constant
Time December 23, 2007 at 8:17 PM
How the West Will be Won…
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Comment from bernie
Time December 23, 2007 at 8:52 PM
Merry Christmas.
I trackbacked from
Planck’s Constant How the West Will be Won: So when moderate Muslims point to verses showing how peaceful Islam is, they are quite right. When they point to verses showing how tolerant Islam is toward other religions, they are quite right.
Trackback from Right Truth
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Time December 24, 2007 at 7:17 PM
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Time December 25, 2007 at 11:05 PM
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Time January 2, 2008 at 11:47 AM
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