For Meditation - Vol. II; No. 10

A Christmas Carol

Star that shone on Bethlehem, shine on London city.
	Shine upon the pathway of each stumbling wayfarer.
Shine upon the crowds, and back to light, O star of pity,
	Guide them with their sacrifice of frankincense and myrrh.

Guide them, loved and loveless, wise and foolish, high and lowly.
	They are seeking all a kingdom, but they have all gone astray.
Guide them through the mist, and, with their shoes besmeared yet holy,
	Set their faltering footsteps once again upon the way.

Some of them are blinded by the rich man's garish table,
	And some of them by envy that the table is not theirs.
Guide them back, ah guide them, to the cold and empty stable;
	Guide them to the manger where the oxen eat the tares.

All of them seek succour from a food that cannot feed them;
	All of them are lost because they strive to understand.
Tell them, star of Noel, that a little child shall lead them
	Back into the Kingdom through the gates of wonderland.

Star that shone on Bethlehem, shine on London city.
	Shine upon the pathway of each stumbling wayfarer.
Shine upon the crowds, and back to light, O star of pity,
	Guide them with their sacrifice of frankincense and myrrh.

                               -- Gilbert Thomas (b. 1891)

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

In the bleak mid-winter
	Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
	Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
	Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
	Long ago.
 
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him,
	Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
	When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
	A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
	Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
	Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
	And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
	Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
	Which adore.

Angels and archangels
	May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
	Thronged the air;
But only His mother
	In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
	With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
	Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
	I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man
	I would do my part,--
Yet what I can I give Him,
	Give my heart.

			-- Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894)