On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

For the 12 Days of Christmas, I'm sharing second, third, or otherwise not-first verses of popular Christmas carols.

Chains shall he break, indeed.
Image source: Sigurd Decroos
on freeimages.com.

"O Holy Night"

By: Words by Placide Cappeau, music by Adolphe Adam. The translation we most often sing in English is by John Sullivan Dwight.

Written in: Roquemaure, France, in 1847

I have thoughts: So much love for this song. It's gorgeous. The third verse, my favourite one, is so spectacular and still so resonant in today's culture that I get a bit annoyed when people only sing verse one a couple of times and call it done. No, you're not done; break open that hymnal and give us the third verse, dangit. I wrote about the third verse to this song quite some time ago, and unfortunately I still say today what I said then: we aren't keeping our end of promise of the third verse. Chains shall HE break, yes, but "in His name all oppression shall cease."

Not to give in to despair, but when I look around me I all too often see a society that jumps at the chance to forge chains on others or break ties of friendship. Who is my brother or sister? Not the people who disagree with me, that's for sure. In fact, let's get on Facebook and call the other side dumb and complain about how they just don't get it and be sure to unfriend people who raise any objection. Facebook is the chosen battleground for airing why everyone else is wrong, it seems--people who I know for sure know better are drawing lines between one another that Jesus never drew, and it's heartbreaking.

Chains shall He break, everyone is a brother or sister, and oppression shall cease. Let's make that our goal for 2017, please?

Verse: The second verse is less well-known, but the third verse is my favourite, so today you get both.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from the Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weaknesses no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Watch: I asked for "O Holy Night" and YouTube gave me Hadley Fraser and Rosalie Craig. YouTube really gets me. (Although they don't sing the whole of the third verse, either. Grrr.)



Sources:
Wikipedia