I love Christmas music, all kinds of Christmas music. I always have and I always will. I am one of those people who play Christmas songs the whole year through. There is just something about them that never gets old. They always lift my spirits!I remember growing up listening to the TIME/LIFE three-album set of Christmas favorites. Some of these were traditional carols sung by popular artists in new and different ways. A few were tunes that I had never heard of. I would like to share one that speaks so beautifully of the Incarnation. You can find many versions of this song on You Tube. My favorite is sung by Harry Belafonte. Here are the lyrics.
MARY’S BOY CHILD
Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day
CHORUS:
Hark, now hear the angels sing
A new King born today
And man will live forever more
Because of Christmas Day
While shepherds watched their flock by night
And see a bright new shining star
And hear a choir sing
The music seem to come from afar
Now Joseph and his wife Mary
Come to Bethlehem that night
And find no place to borne she child
Not a single room was in sight
CHORUS
By and by they find a little nook
In a stable all forlorn
And in a manger cold and dark
Mary’s little boy was born
CHORUS
The last two lines of the chorus are what grab me when I hear this song: “And man will live forever more because of Christmas Day”. The only way we can “live forever more” is to have God come live with us, to have God move into our neighborhood. I do not know how God does this. The incarnation is a mystery to me. My job is to live it every day. To live as if God is with me…because of Christmas Day.
John Stemen
