Christmas 2013 – Creator of the Stars of Night

http://mbouchard.com/misc/Creator-Of-The-Stars-Of%20Night2013Christmas-Midnight.m4a

I’ve tried to record something every Christmas – tonight after a long drive and unpacking and getting a boy in bed and, and, and….

We had an ice storm two days ago and even the slight breezes make the trees crackle. They sparkle like diamonds. The ground is all cold, cold squeeky snow and ice.  It is supposed to be -20 tomorrow with wind chill.

Right now it is cold and clear – the stars are brilliant and dancing. So I went to the driveway with my hymnal and sang this beneath the stars. It seemed appropriate to sing this particular ancient song there, into my ipad, under the beauty of creation.

I realized that I sang right into Christmas Day. You’ll hear my footsteps on the icy snowy walk back into the house.

Merry Christmas friends, may there be great joy for you and may the fellowship and love of this season remain with you throughout all the others.

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About the song:

“Creator alme siderum” was written by James A. Dominic Aylward, 1843-1850. It comes from “Conditor alme siderum” an Ambrosian chant from the 6th or 7th Century.

Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting Light;
O Christ, Redeemer of us all
We pray you hear us when we call.

In sorrow that the ancient curse
should doom to death a universe,
you came, O Savior, to set free
your own in glorious liberty.

At your great Name, O Jesus, now
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
all things on earth with one accord,
like those in heaven, shall call you Lord.

To God Creator, God the Child,
and God the Spirit, three in one,
praise, honor, might, and glory be
from age to age eternally.

Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
In seeculorum saecula.

(The song in whole, close to this but without the Latin, is available to read here…http://www.missionstclare.com/music/advent/Creator_of_the_stars/creator_of.html)