HYMN: Life in Flesh Is Born Today. Alleluia!

 At a meeting yesterday, a brother pastor asked me if I had written any texts lately. Since coming home from the hospital, I haven’t really had the energy, the stamina, the attention span to write outside of my parish work. Inspiration for me always seems to come with a push of some sort—an idea that’s presented to me; hearing or reading a sermon or a presentation; a project that catches my attention; that sort of thing. I’ve got a folder of sermons, articles, and whatnots that I’ve come across, things that spark something at first glance that might turn into a text at some point—often it’s something posted by Pastors Stuckwisch or Weedon on their fine blogs. But nothing in the folder has sparked anything lately.

I was at our monthly tri-circuit pastor meeting this morning. I reached into my bag for a notebook, and a piece of paper from that folder came out of the bag with it. It was the first page of Sermon 21 by Leo the Great, his lovely treatment on the Nativity. I glanced at the paper and saw the words “birthday of the Life…” And suddenly, after near three months of nothing, an idea popped into my head. 

This text is loosely based on the first part of Leo’s Sermon 21, which is labeled “All share in the joy of Christmas” in the above link. The suggested tune right now is LLANFAIR, to which we sing the hymn “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia,” hymn 463 in Lutheran Service Book. As always, feedback is love. 

Life in Flesh Is Born Today

1. Life in flesh is born today! Alleluia!

Fear of death He drives away. Alleluia!

Share in this eternal joy. Alleluia!

Sin and death did Christ destroy! Alleluia!

2. Mary bore the promised Seed, Alleluia!

To the angel’s word gave heed. Alleluia!

Blest conception! Holy birth! Alleluia!

God in flesh gave man His worth. Alleluia!

3. Let the saint exultant be, Alleluia!

Drawing near to victory. Alleluia!

Gentile, bravely face the strife; Alleluia!

Christ is calling you to life! Alleluia!

4. Christ, in great humility, Alleluia!

Sharing our mortality, Alleluia!

Brings the devil dreadful woe. Alleluia!

Beaten is our savage foe. Alleluia!

5. God in wisdom deigns to be, Alleluia!

Born in flesh to set us free. Alleluia!

God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia!

In the Christ, the holy Child. Alleluia!

(c) 2021

77 77 and alleluias

LLANFAIR (LSB 463)

Nativity of Our Lord (loosely based on Leo’s Sermon 21 on the Nativity, part I)