Music for Advent

Phos Hilaran/ O Joyous Light

2020 Advent Hymn
Hail Gladdening Light, Of His pure glory poured
Who is the Immortal Father, Heavenly Blest
Holy of Holies, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest
The lights of evening ‘round us shine
We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Divine
Worthiest art Thou, at all times to be sung
with undefiled tongue
Son of our God, Giver of life alone
Therefore, in all the world Thy Glories Lord…Thine own.
What were the disciples of Jesus singing 1,700 years ago?  Do you know that we can sing one of their songs?  It’s true!  I want to pass along a glorious story of a song that has stood the test of time.  Through listening, speaking and singing it ourselves, we can live into the reality that we are “connected” to the people of Jesus who have gone before us.  We can know that Jesus is the “gladdening light” that brings us joy!

The “Phos Hilarion” is an ancient song of the Church that dates from the late 3rd century.  St. Basil (329-379) spoke of the singing of the “Phos Hilaron” as a cherished tradition that was “old” in his day.  Originally written in the same style of Greek as the New Testament, it was known as the “Lamp-Lighting Hymn.”  It is said that in 3rd century Jerusalem a lamp was kept burning in the empty tomb of Jesus.  Its glow served as a sign of the living light of Jesus.  As the Church gathered to worship, the hymn was sung.  At the same time, a candle lit from the lamp was brought forth from the tomb. Its bright flame called the church to celebrate the Risen Lord.
- Pastor John
Posted in ,
Tagged with

No Comments


Recent

Archive

 2022

Categories

Tags

Adopt a Family Adult Ministry Adult Adventurous Christians Advent Annual Meeting Arrive Ministries Baptism Begin Conference Bell Choir Bethel Ethiopian Bible App Bible Study Bible CES CHIC CPBC Camp CarePartners Caring for Others Children Church App Church Retreat Commission Communication Community Caring Commission Community Emergency Services Confirmation Congregational Meeting Covenant Companion Covenant Living Covenant Pines Covenant World Relief and Development Discipleship Confirmation ECC Easter Equip Hour Families Together Family Feed My Starving Children Food Shelf Fun Fest Funeral Game Night Giving Tree Giving Global Personal Good in the Hood GriefShare Grow Groups Hymns IF:Gathering Immerse Bible Invest Justice Kids Too! LNCS Lent Lillahei Scholarship Lillehei Medical Scholarship Lindahl MN Adult and Teen Challenge MN Adult Marathon Membership Men Metro Hope Minneapolis Minnehaha Academy Missions Multi-generational Music with Matt NENA Neighbor Nokomis Northwest Conference Covenant Church Nursery Online Our Daily Bread PTA Parenting Pastor John Jacobi Pastor Osheta Pentecost Prayer Properties RSVP Renovation Resilient Faith Retreat Sabbatical Sankofa School Senior Community Services Sermon Series Shema Sheridan Story Space reservation form Spice of Life Spiritual Practice Stories Foundation Sunday Worship Thanksgiving The Chosen Together We Rise TreeHouse UNITE VBS Verbo en Accion Wednesday Nights Women World Vision Worship YouVersion Youth Group Youth Ministry Youth racial reconciliation