Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman* is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.* Isaiah 7:14
Tonight we have a song - song which tells the story of a savior to come. It is a song which tells of a prophecy found in Isaiah and fulfilled in Matthew 1:23. This song was once chanted by monks, one verse per day on the seven days leading up to Christmas, to represent the different views of the Messiah.
In the 1850’s, the verses to a chant probably written by a monk were published. John Mason Neale, translated the words to English and paired them with “Veni Emmanuel”, a processional for Portugese nuns, and history evolved the song into what we know today.
Christmas Adventus 2011: Leave tonight’s bag empty. Tonight, our bag is empty because we are waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. It is God’s promise which is made throughout history. It is the promise of a savior. A savior who has already come, gone but will come again. Tonight, we remember a promise fulfilled by a baby, in poor family, in a cold stable, many years ago.
Turn down the lights. Turn on your luminaries. Sing this song. Can you hear the chants of the monks? Can you move in procession as the nuns? Can you hear Isaiah’s promise of a savior? Do you hear Matthew’s savior delivered?
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave. Refrain
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. Refrain
O come, O come, Adonai,
Who in thy glorious majesty
From Sinai’s mountain, clothes in awe,
Gavest thy folk the elder law. Refrain
Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas
by Ace Collins, 2001
Christmas is a great time of the year to share stories of family and friends, traditions – both new and old. It is a time for bringing out the favorite books of seasons past and remembering.
After the race, this is a good opportunity to check your gift list as a family, make any remaining crafts for gifting this week, or address packages for mailing tomorrow. We also like to use this time to open cards and gifts that have been sent to us. Throughout the holiday, we receive gifts that are meant to be opened before Christmas and cards that are fun to place on the mantel. However, it is nice to do this as a family...something which is not always possible in the daily hustle and bustle. Today, we share the fun that has been collecting under our tree as we open all of the cards an gifts that have arrived by mail. 
When you enter a town and people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick, and say, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 
Christmas time is a great time for reading. With so many cold, dreary days, it is the perfect time to grab your favorite story, sit by a fire and help your angel develop a love of books.
