Nine Lessons and Carols, Part X: The Ninth Reading

[The congregation stands for the ninth reading]

St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.

JOHN 1:1-14(ESV):

1 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made
that was made.

4 In him was life,
and the life was the light of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John.

7 He came as a witness,
to bear witness about the light,
that all might believe through him.

8 He was not the light,
but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light,
which enlightens everyone,
was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world,
and the world was made through him,
yet the world did not know him.

11 He came to his own,
and his own people
did not receive him.

12 But to all who did receive him,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born,
not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man,
but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.

THANKS BE TO GOD.

~~~~~


Egil Hovland, "The Glory of the Father"

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
We beheld the glory of the Father,
We beheld the glory of the Father
Full of grace and truth.

In the beginning was the Word.
The Word was with God,
The Word was with God.
In Him was life,
and the life was the Light of men.
He came to his own
And His own,
And His own received Him not.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
We beheld the glory of the Father,
We beheld the glory of the Father
Full of grace and truth.

~~~~~


Gustav Holst, "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence"

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!