2007/12/28

Today is the Feastday of the Holy Innocents

"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew

When Christ was born in Bethlehem,
Fair peace on earth to bring,
In lowly state of love he came
To be the children's King.

And round him, then, a holy band
Of children blest was born,
Fair guardians of his throne to stand
Attendant night and morn.

And unto them this grace was giv'n
A Saviour's name to own,
And die for him who out of heav'n
Had found on earth a throne.

O blessed babes of Bethlehem,
Who died to save our King,
Ye share the martyrs' diadem,
And in their anthem sing!

Your lips, on earth that never spake,
Now sound the eternal word;
And in the courts of love ye make
Your children's voices heard.

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal Child,
Make thou our childhood thine;
That we with thee the meek and mild
May share the love divine.

Laurence Housman, 1906

1 comment:

MacBeth Derham said...

Lovely blog, Stephanie! I can't believe I had never stumbled upon it before!

And it's so good to reconnect with an "old" friend!