Advent and Christmas are not only about rejoicing but also lamenting, repenting, and preparing for the judgment of Christ's Second Coming. The world still hasn’t been set right. There are wars and rumors of wars. There is the bloodbath in the Holy Land and the war between brothers in Ukraine and Russia. There is the epidemic of loneliness and drug abuse in our country along with the record rates of suicide, particularly among the middle aged. What is happening? We are in need of a Christmas Lament.
Lully, Lylla, Lullay. This traditional English carol is a testament to that. Its beautiful sounds capture the heart and yet it is about genocide... the killing of the holy innocents in Bethlehem as King Herod sought to destroy the Christ Child and thwart God's plans. The holy innocents were the first martyrs for Christ yet their song was never lost. Their voices continue on as they worship the Christ Child in the heavenly country. It is good to remind our children that Christmas is more than presents and polar express or even family time. Instead, it is about fixing our gaze on the Christ Child and recalling His Advent into our world among the many evil kingdoms who were making it into a bloodbath. Although these kings were eventually successful in killing the Christ Child 33 years later, the shedding of His innocent and precious blood has become the source of our salvation and even redeems the holy innocents who died at the hands of Herod. The wood of the manger points to the wood of the cross and the shout of final victory at His Resurrection!
The power of the lament in Scripture and sacred music of the Church is that they push us to embrace the deep sorrow of our souls and our world rather than ignore them. Yes, spiked egg nog may numb the pain for a night, and Christmas cookies may distract us from it, but they do’t help us grieve or recover. The power of laments is that they do not try to cover up our grief with fake sounds, but rather, allow us to acknowledge the tragedies of life through song. This process can actually be a source of healing, particularly if the laments are Christ-centered. All good laments are packed with hope and anchored in the promises of God which are more certain than the sun rising again. Light pierces darkness, and all that was lost will be restored.
So definitely turn on your favorite Christmas songs and carols, but do not forget the carols of lament, for they too have an important role to play in this season of Advent as we look to the second coming of our Lord, the final cure of all our sorrows.
Come Lord Jesus, Come.
Lully, Lylla, Lullay (Lyrics)
"Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay?”
Herod the king, in his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.
That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and may
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”
absolutely Lovely
This carol made me tear up the first time I heard it. Philip Stopford's composition is gorgeous.