This was the carol that moved me to tears this morning.
Holy child, how still you lie!
Safe the manger, soft the hay;
Faint upon the eastern sky
Breaks the dawn of Christmas Day.
Holy child, whose birthday brings
Shepherds from their fields and fold,
Angel-choirs and eastern kings,
Myrrh and frankincense and gold:
Holy child, what gift of grace
From the Father freely willed!
In your infant form we trace
All God’s promises fulfilled.
Holy child, whose human years
Span like ours delight and pain;
One in human joys and tears,
One in all but sin and stain:
Holy child, so far from home,
All the lost to seek and save,
To what dreadful death you come,
To what dark and silent grave!
Holy child, before whose name
Powers of darkness faint and fall;
Conquered death and sin and shame
Jesus Christ is Lord of all!
Holy child, how still you lie!
Safe the manger, soft the hay;
Clear upon the eastern sky
Breaks the dawn of Christmas Day.
T. Dudley-Smith
