Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Rune of Hospitality

"How is this a Christmas text?"

I saw a stranger yestereen;
I put food in the eating place,
drink in the drinking place,
music in the listening place;
and in the sacred names of the Triune God
he blessed me and my house,
my cattle and my dear ones,
and the lark said in her song:
Often, Often, Often,
goes the Christ in a stranger's guise.

5 comments:

Chris R. said...

I kind of view this as possibly from the point of view of the three magi or someone else who was at the birth of Christ, and while the song doesn't mention gold, frankincense, or myrrh, there are three "gifts" as it were, and mention of Christ going in the guise of stranger, which He did when he was born for the salvation of mankind. He could have come in all His glory as the Son of God, but instead He came as the son of man, as a baby, as a stranger, and seeing the Christ child was a great blessing to the person who's point of view this song is written in.

Just my thoughts. Take them as you will.

Brian said...

When I reflect on this text and I think how it fits with Christmas, I think of how Christmas is often called the "Season of Giving" and how people are more hospitible around Christmastime. For instance, many people volunteer more at homeless shelters around Christmas than other times of the year. Also, this text holds strong ties to Matthew 25:34-40.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, since Christmas is about giving and reflecting on God's ultimate gift to us, we should be hospitible towards others.

That is my take on this piece. I hope this makes sense.

Mezzo with a Mission said...

All of the 3's come to play, here, for me. The trinity- the meter, the 3 "oftens", eating, drinking, music-3 places to help the stranger, yes, the 3 kings, too. I think that it's all about not missing the Savior this time around. He could be in any form, in any place, and we should be acting in a manner fit for him even if it IS a "regular ol' stranger." We didn't recognize him. It's an eternal shame in our hearts, I think. We didn't know, and then we killed him. We don't dare not try, at every attempt, to act in a more Godly fashion this time.

Mezzo with a Mission said...

oh-and the lark is often used as an image of rebirth and renewal, and as almost a messenger who goes between heaven and earth. She welcomes the dawn, she continues forever with it.

Mezzo with a Mission said...

ok-promise-last thing...A rune is all about prophesy-the lark is whispering of what's to come. So, how often HAS he, again, been in our midst and we didn't see him? Often, often, often. I think that the final big chord cluster we've been working on so hard is THE moment of recognition-we FINALLY see him for who he is, no matter what the appearance and the heavens then open for us...

I LOVE the magic of good art-there are always so many layers to be uncovered by us that the artists never really intended to put there, but they're there waiting patiently for us...