Keeping Sacred Time with Christina Rossetti :: Fourth Sunday of Advent

This year I have been sharing Christina Rossetti's liturgical poetry with my children, and I'd like to share some of our favorite selections with you too.  You can read more of this series here, and more of Rossetti's poetry for Advent and Christmas here.  Wishing you a blessed Advent!

A Christmas Carol

Before the paling of the stars,

Before the winter morn,

Before the earliest cockcrow

Jesus Christ was born:

Born in a stable,

Cradled in a manger,

In the world His Hands had made

Born a Stranger.

Priest and King lay fast asleep

In Jerusalem,

Young and old lay fast asleep

In crowded Bethlehem:

Saint and Angel, Ox and Ass,

Kept a watch together,

Before the Christmas daybreak

In the winter weather.

Jesus on His Mother's breast

In the stable cold,

Spotless Lamb of God was He,

Shepherd of the Fold:

Let us kneel with Mary Maid,

With Joseph bent and hoary,

With Saint and Angel, Ox and Ass,

To hail the King of Glory.

26 August 1859