In the bleak midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
This is my favorite hymn of Christmas.
For hundreds of years – through the early part of the 20th century – Northern Europe endured what would later be called a “mini-Ice Age.” Heavy snows at Christmas were common. That far north, the wan sun rose late and set early. And in the hamlets and hovels, common folk shivered, praying for spring.
In those times, the Winter Solstice had special meaning. Just when it seemed that the night would win, relentlessly slicing off moments of precious daylight until only a few remained, on this day, the bleeding stopping. And, moment by moment, day by day, the sun returned.
Sol invictus!
Alone of the popular songs of Christmas, “In the Bleak Midnight” captures the desperation of nations crying for salvation, praying for the end of the darkness, the yearning for the light.
Our faith-ancestors wisely coupled the pagan Solstice celebration with the Christ mass. Beyond the obvious linguistic connection between “sun” and “Son,” they also captured a deeper understanding, a deeper magic – the Return of the Sun/Son King to save a darkened land.
The birth of Jesus, as Jeff Johnson notes, is the “centerpoint” of history, when – like a spearpoint – the divine explodes into the profane. The darkness that had prevailed so long could not withstand this moment, brighter than a billion billion supernovas.
Jesu Christo invictus!
Our God, heaven cannot hold Him,
nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Advent is the waiting, the yearning. The dark night.
But on Christmas morning, our long wait is over.
Come, o come, Emmanuel …
“In the Bleak Mid-Winter “
Words: Christina Rosetti
Music: CRANHAM (Gustav Holst)