This week of Advent I chose the hymn “Creator of the Stars of Night.” This ancient text is translated from Latin by John Mason Neale. And the tune, which is absolutely beautiful, is a 9th century Sarum chant. 

Advent is a dark time. The sun sets early behind the Rocky Mountains here in Colorado. So we light candles, start fires, and serve hot drinks. I’ve even strung Christmas lights on our house. They are so cheery! But honestly their glow is feeble compared to the darkness up on the ridge away from the city lights where we live.

Spiritually we all live in the shadows of the ancient curse of sin. It dooms the whole universe to death and covers us all in darkness. But each evening God strings his house with little lights. And even though those stars shine feebly, they are insistent. They are as close to eternal as my small mind can comprehend.

And sometimes I think I can hear them whisper, “He’s coming!”

Pray with me: 

Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people's everlasting Light:
O Christ, Redeemer, save us all
And hear Thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving that the ancient curse
Should doom to death a universe,
Hast found the healing, full of grace,
To cure and save our ruined race.

Thou cam'st the Bridegroom of the bride,
As drew the world to eventide,
The spotless Victim all divine
Proceeding from a virgin shrine.

At whose dread name, majestic now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things celestial Thee shall own,
And things terrestrial, Lord alone. A-men.

O Thou, whose coming is with dread
To judge the living and the dead,
Preserve us from the ancient foe
While still we dwell on earth below.

To God the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,

Praise, honor, might, and glory be

From age to age eternally.

You can listen to different versions of this hymn here and here