Soft Echoes of the Angels’ Song
By: Father Michael Joncas
Soft echoes of the angels’ song
As break of day recurred
While shepherds pondered through the night
The truth of what they’d heard.
To Bethlehem they ran in haste
And found a man and maid,
An infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
Within a manger laid.
Could such a humble, simple sign—
A man-child come to birth—
Enflesh God’s ultimate design,
God’s final Word to earth?
He seems a small and fragile thing
In whom to place our trust,
Too weak to save us from ourselves
Or rescue dreams from dust.
Yet through the stony march of time,
Through follow, sin and doubt,
God conquers all through love alone:
God works his purpose out.
The shepherds heard, then saw the Word,
Believed and blessings bore.
God’s love embodied we behold,
We claim and we adore.
Text: CMD; Michael Joncas, b. 1951, ©2009, Jan Michael Joncas Trust. Published by OCP, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved.
From the hymn book Within Our Hearts Be Born.
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