This year the fourth Sunday in Advent coincides with Christmas Eve. Christians around the world light the last of four Advent candles, the Angel's Candle, symbolizing the annunciation of Christ's birth.
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| The Annuciation of Mary Salvador Dali, 1967 |
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a Virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
An additional song for this season is the 15th century English song text, Adam Lay Ybounden, performed here by the Mediaeval Babes. The text centers on the concept of "blessed fault" or the "fall upward" in three verses focused on the medieval interpretation of Adam, temptation, original sin, the birth of Christ, and redemption.
Middle English
Adam lay ibounden
Bounden in a bond
Foure thousand winter
Thought he not too long
And all was for an apple
An apple that he tok
As clerkes finden
Wreten in here book
Ne hadde the apple taken ben
The apple taken ben
Ne hadde never our lady
A ben hevene queen
Blissed be the time
That apple take was
Therefore we moun singen
"Deo gracias!"
Modern English. . .
Adam lay in bondage
Bound by a contract
For four thousand winters
That he hadn't thought would be too long
And all because of an apple
An apple that he took
As clerics found
Written in this book
Had the apple never been taken
The apple been taken
Neither would our Lady ever have
Been the Queen of Heaven
So blessed be the moment
That apple was taken
For now we can sing
"Thanks be to God"
May you have a blessed Christmas Eve as we approach the celebration of Christmas.
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