Few details are available on this beautiful icon by Aidan Hart but it seems a fitting graphic (the Holy Family at table, perhaps a Passover table) for the Feast of the Holy Family. Seldom is the Holy Family pictured as it is here with Christ as a young man. (Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.)
Our parish celebrates Sunday Evening Prayer in the Advent and Christmas seasons - a liturgy that nourishes and carries me (and others) through these hectic weeks.
Tonight we sang Vespers for the Feast of the Holy Family. Our cantor wrote a set of beautiful lyrics for our Evening Hymn which we sang to the tune of the Tallis Canon. When I first saw these words a month or so ago I loved them and took particular delight in the "flesh / creche" rhyme in the second verse. I don't recall this rhyme in any other hymns or carols. Any hymnologists out there care to comment?
With Ellen Oak's permission, I'm happy to share these words with you.
All praise to you, our God this night,
For all the blessings of the Light.
Keep us, O keep us as we sing
Beneath the shadow of your wing.
We thank you, God, for family
In every way it comes to be.
In fam'ly life your love made flesh
Unfolds the myst'ry of the creche.
With Mary, true to her deep call,
With Joseph, guardian of us all,
With Jesus, brothers, sisters we
Are drawn to you as family.
Praise God who gives each blessing birth,
Praise Jesus Christ of heav'n and earth,
Praise Spirit making new and free,
Praise to the Holy Trinity.
- Ellen Oak (2008)
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