O Little Town of Bethlehem

Micah 5:2-5a; Matthew 2:1-6 In contrast to some of the grander carols bursting forth glory to God in the highest, Rev. Phillips Brooks wanted to write something peaceful and soothing. The Civil War had just ended and Brooks had just spoken at President Lincoln’s unexpected funeral. Exhausted, Brooks thought he would renew himself in the Holy Land and found himself in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. A few years later he would write this children’s song and the intimacy of that holy birth. This soothing hymn becomes personal in the later stanzas, eventually becoming a prayer. Might this be your prayer, “O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel”? Reflection Questions: Do you prefer the soft, peaceful carols like this one or the louder more joyful ones? Where have been places that you experienced renewal? What is your prayer to the Christ child on this Christmas Eve Day? Listen to “O Little Town of Bethlehem”