I sang this Christmas carol in choir when I was a child, and its haunting melody never left me. I recently looked up the lyrics because it's a carol that's not very often heard.
Winds Through the Olive Trees
Winds through the olive trees,
Softly did blow.
Round little Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay
Whiter than snow,
Shepherds were watching them,
Long, long ago.
Then from the happy skies
Angels bent low,
Singing their songs of joy;
Long, long ago.
For in a manger bed
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem
Long, long ago.
* * *
Such a beautiful pastoral scene! Peace, comfort, and joy abound in this simple song. We can easily envision the parental happiness of Joseph and Mary with their newborn baby boy. Their simple faith and profound trust in God's will laid the groundwork for Christ's mission later on: to bring God's all-embracing love into the world.
On January 6, 2020, we remembered the visit of the Three Wise Men to the baby Jesus. These learned men, bearing magnificent and meaningful gifts, humbled themselves before an innocent babe. In their wisdom, they saw the great sacrifice this child would make for the entire world. They foresaw Mary's great burden of grief. But they also saw the hope and salvation that future generations would receive. They protected the Holy Child from Herod's greedy grasp, fully understanding that the world would never be the same again.
Dawn Pisturino
Copyright 2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
