Grace and peace, everybody! I have a new hymn (or simple motet) for the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. It's in six verses with an optional descant.
I've always wanted to write something for this lovely feast and the great saint for whom I was named.
1. Forty days from Christmas morning
And the joy at Bethlehem,
Jesus Christ, our Sun, is dawning
Radiant in Jerusalem:
O behold
Light foretold
By the prophets from of old.
2. Our dear Lady, bearing Jesus,
And Saint Joseph walk in awe
For the love of Torah's sweetness
To the temple of that Law,
Off'ring there
Fervent prayer
And pale turtledoves in pair.
3. O with what devotion simple
These two pilgrims heed our God
As within that mighty temple
Priests and people sing Him laud:
Pure and strong
Is the song
Raised by this, His faithful throng.
4. Taking Jesus from His Mother,
Simeon sees the keenest joy,
For this Child, our Lord and Brother
Is His people's royal Boy;
Christ His Name,
Truth His claim;
To this wicked world He came.
5. Prophesy, O righteous Anna!
Praise our God, His mercies tell!
Let thy voice proclaim Hosanna
From the heart of Israel!
Help us bring
To our King
Such a fitting offering!
6. Come within Thy Church, Christ Jesus,
Light our hearts as Thine entire,
For the love of Heaven's sweetness
We would burn with holy fire:
Praise be Thine,
King divine,
Son in glory, ever shine!
[Edited the harmonization a bit and tweaked v. 5.]
I've always wanted to write something for this lovely feast and the great saint for whom I was named.
1. Forty days from Christmas morning
And the joy at Bethlehem,
Jesus Christ, our Sun, is dawning
Radiant in Jerusalem:
O behold
Light foretold
By the prophets from of old.
2. Our dear Lady, bearing Jesus,
And Saint Joseph walk in awe
For the love of Torah's sweetness
To the temple of that Law,
Off'ring there
Fervent prayer
And pale turtledoves in pair.
3. O with what devotion simple
These two pilgrims heed our God
As within that mighty temple
Priests and people sing Him laud:
Pure and strong
Is the song
Raised by this, His faithful throng.
4. Taking Jesus from His Mother,
Simeon sees the keenest joy,
For this Child, our Lord and Brother
Is His people's royal Boy;
Christ His Name,
Truth His claim;
To this wicked world He came.
5. Prophesy, O righteous Anna!
Praise our God, His mercies tell!
Let thy voice proclaim Hosanna
From the heart of Israel!
Help us bring
To our King
Such a fitting offering!
6. Come within Thy Church, Christ Jesus,
Light our hearts as Thine entire,
For the love of Heaven's sweetness
We would burn with holy fire:
Praise be Thine,
King divine,
Son in glory, ever shine!
[Edited the harmonization a bit and tweaked v. 5.]