Saunie Krewson's poetry has garnered popular and critical acclaim from angelic friends and several overly critical cats. Haunted by her ancestry of authors from the 19th century, writing has always been understood as a inherited affliction as well as a frequently broken oracle of the divine.
https://www.recapitated.net
Fall On Your Knees
By Jerome Michael Costello
Have you ever been so inspired by the love of God; so awestruck by a glimpse of His truth and love for you that you could do nothing but fall on your knees in worship? I have; and it is my sincere hope that you have and will experience the overwhelming power of His love.
It’s Christmas. One of my favorite carols: Oh Holy Night (aka. Oh Night Divine) brings me to tears almost without fail. It tells a story of an ordinary night, and yet not so ordinary. The earth spins and toils as normal while in some obscure corner of a small city, a miracle of universal proportions has occurred: the salvation of an oblivious world has been born.
Then as today, few took notice. Yet those who did notice responded profoundly. The Magi, bearing precious gifts recognized the night-time light of the heavens the herald of Creations King. While Herod (then King in Judea) responded by trying to have his potential usurper killed, massacring hundreds of innocent children in his search.
While not much has changed in 2000 years, His timeless story endures. As does His salvation. People the world over continue to respond to history’s most polarizing figure in profound and often violent ways. Few are “on the fence” concerning Jesus Christ. His very name demands your attention. The world continues ‘in sin and error pining’; lost and unaware of its desperate condition.
Look around you. The earth is in tumult. Unrest permeates the globe. Economic, social and political issues deny us the “Peace on earth” and “goodwill towards men” that is the promise of Christmas. Listening to the modern voices in the air we have lowered our standards of what is acceptable and right for a lesser, new “normal”, and called it reasonable in light of the circumstances. Now more than ever our world needs to hear the glad tidings.
This Christmas, let the spirit of Oh Holy Night penetrate to your soul. Close your eyes. Listen intently, perhaps for the first time. Let the lyrics be more than lyrics. Let them inspire a new understanding of what awesome thing God has done for us. Let His love transform your being, and overflow to a world in urgent need.
Now sing it with your heart and soul.
"O Holy Night" ("Cantique de Noël")
By John Sullivan, Adolphe Adam and Placide Cappeau
Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of Hope! The weary world rejoices!
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees!
Oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh Night Divine!
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!
Then ever, we will praise thee!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Fall on your knees!
Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine,
O night when Christ was born;
O night, divine!
O night, O Holy night!
About ‘Oh Holy Night’
Composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847
Original lyrics by Placide Cappeau
From "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians)
French language
English language lyrics written by John Sullivan Dwight in 1855.
About the Author
Jerome Michael Costello is an aspiring writer who may have found his vehicle of change. The eldest of eight siblings; Jerome knows what it is like to get by, and how to bring foundational factors into focus. He is a husband and father of one son.