“Christ is born today!”
“Christ was born for this!”
“Christ was born to save!”
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice is an ancient carol from the 14th century. The text describes Christ’s birth and what it means for us. Each stanza and its meaning is summarized by the last phrase of each stanza. The first stanza tells what happened in Bethlehem: “Christ is born today!” The second stanza acknowledges that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies: “Christ was born for this!” The third stanza declares that we should rejoice and no longer fear the grave: “Christ was born to save!”
This carol always makes me think of Gustav Holst’s choral work, Christmas Day, which is a mashup of several Christmas carols, including this one. After several minutes of joyful, exuberant music, the ending could almost be described as anticlimactic. A soloist sings slowly in a heartfelt voice, “Christ was born to save!” The simple truth of that statement cannot be denied. During Advent and Christmas, it can be easy to focus on the babe in a manger and the hope, peace, joy, and love that new birth brings. But may we always remember the full story and that THIS is why Christ came into our world: to save.
Prayer: Dear God, may we “rejoice with heart and soul and voice” this Advent season as we give thanks that you sent Jesus to earth, so that we would be saved. Amen.
Margaret Monroe