One of my favorite contemporary composers of sacred music is Minnesota born Marty Haugen.  Interestingly he began composing while in his first job as worship leader in a Roman Catholic parish, where he was searching for music that the congregation could sing.  A prolific composer, his music includes liturgical, hymns, sacred songs and choral arrangements.  Born in 1950, he continues to compose.

Awake!   What a way to greet the Advent season.   Something wonderful is coming, something wonderful will be celebrated soon.   So, wake up!   Get ready!   Don’t miss it!

Oh, how fortunate we are now in the years where Christ has already come.   We welcome the good news that has been fulfilled.  But think of those generations of believers from Abraham on.  Think of the generations who had been given a prophecy.  They believed it.  But they were still waiting. And yes, they longed for the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The Advent hymn, “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn,” begins with this stanza.

“Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn,
for angels herald its dawning,
Sing out your joy, for soon he is born, behold!
the child of our longing.

Come as a baby weak and poor,
to bring all hearts together,
he opens wide the heavenly door
and lives now inside us forever.”*

We begin our Advent season knowing that Christ lives inside us.  Praise God for that!  With God at our center, can we bring our hearts together?  Oh, how blessed our communities, nation, and world would be if only we could do just that – bring our hearts together.  Weak sinners that we are, this is beyond us.  But don’t miss the line “COME as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together.”  Come Lord Jesus, Come.  Come into our hearts and lead us together.

Judy

*Stanza 1 Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn
Text Marty Haugen, b. 1950
Music Marty Haugen