Thursday, January 14, 2016

173. Annunciation Hymn

The Annunciation is the feast celebrated March 25 in the west - significantly, nine months before Christmas; not significantly, during the season of Lent. It celebrates the angel Gabriel's announcement to the Virgin Mary that she was going to give birth to Jesus, as related in Luke 1. The tune for this hymn is O WIE SELIG from J. Georg Stötzel’s Choral-Buch, Stuttgart, 1744, which I will post here in an upcoming edit.
Lord of truth, whose Scripture is not broken,
Let it be to us as You have spoken!
Our feeble reason
Waits upon Your pleasure in due season.

At the perfect time, You did not tarry;
By the angel, You proclaimed to Mary
That she was laden
With the world’s salvation, though a maiden.

As to Mary, tidings You have brought us:
Through baptismal waters You begot us;
Our cause now pleading,
Mary’s Son to us Himself is feeding.

Though we ask how this can be, remind us
You can do all things, lest reason blind us
To every mention
Of Your peace that passes comprehension!

Rather, grant that we respond with Mary,
“So be it to me,” that we may carry
Christ in us, planted
Through the faith Your living word has granted!

EDIT: As promised, here's that tune:

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