Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday – Christmas Edition

December 26, 2016

Today I’ve picked one of my favorites – Good King Wenceslaus! It is also the Feast of Stephen and so a good time to take a listen to this familiar carol.

The song is about St Wenceslaus – Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia – who was known for his goodness. He was not actually a king but was made one posthumously and declared patron of the Czech state. He was also declared a saint and martyr immediately after his death (assasinated by his brother) and many stories and legends grew up around him and most were about his goodness and kindness to others.

The words were written in 1853 by John Mason Neale, but the thing I recently learned is that the tune was originally a spring song – Tempus Adest Floridum (you can go to Wikipedia to look that up on the GKW page). The song tells about the Good King and his page going to help a poor man on the Feast of Stephen – December 26 – and the miracle of that visit. It also has an admonition at the end to remind us to give generously to others.

I love both the words and the tune of this song – it has that wonderful Victorian Christmas vibe going through it and I love that. So many of our modern day Christmas traditions grew out of that time. But that’s another post altogether. Time to sing!

Good King Wenceslaus by John Mason Neale

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath’ring winter fuel

So, Wenceslaus looks out of his window on December 26 and it is a nasty winter day. He sees a poor man trying to get wood for a fire for his home and an idea comes to him.

“Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

Wenceslaus asks his page – his servant – if he knows who the poor man is and where he lives. Now a league is 3.5 miles which is pretty far out there if you’re walking. And in the 900’s it was walking or horse. I do not know what forest fence means unless it’s the beginning of the forest. At any rate, this man lives a ways out.

“Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind’s wild lament
And the bitter weather

Undaunted by the weather and the lengthy walk to this man’s house, the Good King tells his page to bring logs, food and wine to take to the poor man. In British countries December 26 is Boxing Day and the tradition of giving Christmas Boxes to service people to thank them for their work (one that goes back to the Middle Ages) is reminiscent here and may have been the aim of the songwriter. Anyway, back to our story. So, they’re loaded down with goodies for the poor man and start out in the “rude wind’s wild lament and bitter weather”. Sounds like the day we had last Monday – I stayed at home.

“Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.”

So, walking 3.5 miles in brutal weather and carrying logs and other stuff is taking a toll on the page. The weather is worse and night is falling, but the good King forges on. He tells his servant to step in his footprints and his feet will be warmer and they’ll make this journey. Also, he says “tread thou in them boldly” – don’t be afraid.

In his master’s steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

So, the page steps in his master’s footsteps and they were indeed warm – like mini heaters I imagine. A Christmas miracle! The version of the song I like best is one sung by the Vienna Boys Choir. The first four lines of the song are sung very boldly and slower than the rest of the song – to emphasize this miracle. The ending lines tell us that you will find a blessing for yourselves when you bless others. The page found warmth and strength to go on to this poor man’s home in return for his work to give warmth and strength to another. And I think it’s true. And even if we don’t get thanked or it seems people aren’t thankful we can still be glad we did what we did. Blessings will abound one way or another.

There aren’t any words about the party at the poor man’s house, but I’m sure it was a good one. He was most likely surprised to see his king there. And he probably invited them to stay the night to warm themselves, share a meal, and have company. What a great thing!

So, take a listen and also sing this one out loud folks! The great feast of Christmas has begun and it’s twelve days long! Enjoy your time with family and friends and take this opportunity to bless someone with a word, a hug, a meal, whatever. Especially those who serve you – mailman, city workers, store clerks, cashiers, etc.. This is often a difficult and thankless time for them so even if they seem rude, give them a break and smile and be nice anyway. Kindness never goes out of style and you may give them encouragement to go on as in our story. Happy St. Stephen’s Day!

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Gaudete Sunday

December 11, 2016

We lit the third candle on the Advent wreath yesterday for Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means Rejoice so the day is all about rejoicing in the Lord. Henri Nouwen had this to say about JOY:

“the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing — sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death — can take that love away.”

Amen, Bro!

Oh, and here’s what Pope Francis has to say about Gaudete Sunday:

“Sunday of joy,” and that instead of fretting about “all they still haven’t” done to prepare for Christmas, people should “think of all the good things life has given you.”

Again – good words to think on especially as we approach the end of another year. I tend to think of the crap (especially in difficult years) instead of finding the good stuff that surely was there. Maybe it’s time for me to start that gratitude journal.

I also love how each Sunday the light from the candles shine brighter and brighter over the creche as one by one all are lit. This year we added some pieces to our set and the kids noticed right off the bat! Yes – my teens! I was happy. Because, you know, it often really is the little things that speak the loudest.

So, let’s rejoice in this season and if you see someone who could use some cheering up do something for them. Lend your spirit to theirs so that all can have even just a moment of joy amidst life’s difficulties.

Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

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» 2016 » December » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday – Christmas Edition

December 26, 2016

Gaudete Sunday

December 11, 2016

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