May the Lord of Hosts send you blessing upon blessing this Christmastide.
Hymn to the Holy Family
For the Holy Family of Walsingham
Mother of mercy, peace, and love,
Thy Child is God come from above.
As Christ thou lovest we would too
In all we ponder, say or do.
Joseph the Guardian, brave and wise,
Nothing was hidden from thine eyes.
By dreams the Lord God guided thee
May we follow with constancy.
Father of Jesus, God Most High,
Thy love so great brought Our Lord nigh,
Thy Child, thy gift to free a slave,
Gave thee his Life, the world to save.
A child for us, Friend crucified,
Arisen, present by our side,
Victim and Priest, Oh Mystery!
Lord Jesus Christ, we worship thee.
Glory to God, Father of lights
And to the Son, Lord Jesus Christ,
And Holy Ghost the Comforter:
One God in glory for ever.
Text: CreativeCommons (cc) 2005 by Vincent Uher.
Original Suggested Tune: CORNISH by M. Lee Suitor
(See Hymn 256 in The Hymnal 1982/Hymnbook 1982 for this tune)
Additionally this text has been sung to hymn tunes as varied
as KEBLE by JB Dykes and DE TAR by Calvin Hampton.
• • •
I am posting this hymn again with the note that it is now under CreativeCommons and can be reproduced by parishes, schools, small groups, or families. I do ask that the text not be altered in any way, and that my name be listed as author of the text.
I imagined that this would be sung on the Feast of the Holy Family, Mary the Mother of God, Candlemas, or Feasts of Our Lady under her many titles including "of Walsingham". However, it has more recently been sung on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day during Communion.
I would love to hear from anyone who makes use of it. Email can be sent to me: uher AT startmail DOT com – you will need to replace "AT" with the appropriate symbol and replace "DOT" with a "."
+Laus Deo
