Guest post by G. Dolf Olorin
Commentary for verse 1: Read Luke 2: 1-20 on the mystery of the Nativity – The Birth of Jesus. Then sing this first verse (internally as you choose) and meditate on the mystery of the Nativity or just rejoice with a simple prayer.
1. Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain. Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Commentary for verses 2 and 3: To prepare for the next two verses of the hymn read Luke Chapter 1 and the John 1:1-18. Some say that the Virgin Mother of the Lord Jesus, the Immaculate Conception, is not mentioned much in the Gospel of John but nothing could be further from the truth. That “the Word became flesh and made its dwelling among us” without needing to say so includes the Annunciation of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady’s complete humility, trust and obedience to God as she agrees to the Incarnation in the Gospel of Luke - “and Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word”. The mysteries of the Immaculate Conception and the Incarnation are as inseparable as the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As you sing these verses meditate on the mysteries of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity and the Lord’s fellowship among us or just rejoice with a simple prayer.
2. Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
3. Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Commentary for verses 4 and 5: Genesis 3:15 (The Vulgate – Douay-Rheims translation) “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” Jesus is the New Adam and St. Mary Mother of God is the New Eve. St. Mary is the living Ark of the New Covenant. The Christ Child formed within the Ark, bringing reconciliation and mercy to men, comes into this world and rests in the arms of the Ark of the New Covenant. And the purpose and reality of this Ark should not be lost. The Savior sacrificed on the Cross and his Precious Body and Blood again rest in the arms and mercy seat of the living Ark of the New Covenant – Our Lady of Sorrows. A final Day of Atonement and sacrifice for forgiveness of our sins for all time, once and for all, with the prayer for Mercy sent from the living Ark. Consider the sixth Sorrow of Mary and The Pieta. In the Gospel of John Jesus addresses His Mother the Virgin Mary as “Woman” both in the mystery of the Wedding at Cana and His last act from the Cross when He commands that Our Lady be a spiritual Mother to us all. The honor of this appellation as "Woman" is apparent. And so we see the fruition Simeon’s prophesy to Our Lady in the mystery of the Presentation Luke 2:35: “And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed”. And as Our Lady of Sorrows stands at the foot of the Cross suffering along with her Lord His Passion she performs the magnificent act as the perfect disciple. The Song of Mary (the Magnificat) Luke 1:46-55 revealed all generations for more than two thousand years have called Our Lady blessed and sought her intersession and guidance through prayers of which the greatest is the Rosary. With the Assumption Our Lady is brought body and soul to heaven by the Lord Jesus and with The Coronation she receives the highest honor as Queen of Heaven and Earth and Queen of Saints above all angels and saints. She is venerated and not worshiped and the first to tell us in prayer to do what Jesus tells us to do and to participate in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. And the spiritual battle of the Lord, His Church and the Woman continues.
4. Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Verse 5 continues this thought process:
5. Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.
