HIS LIGHT IN US
The work is a thanksgiving about the gift of a tiny child, and that only the nature of love is changeless. It sings about our renewed hope and how light now shines. And the key word is "renewed", because Christmas is a new and refreshing gift, our hearts are renewed, and our hope is renewed, so it's reflecting the glory of what goes on in our spirits at Christmas.
Commissioned by the St. Olaf Choir and Dr. Anton Armstrong for the 2016 St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
THE TEXT
God’s distant call
flares in the night,
so long expected, so longed for;
and all my life,
Christ called my name,
and now at last, I’ll answer Him.
Renewed, his hope,
his light in us,
incarnate, fragile,
our Lord appears,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Eternal,
so perfect,
his cry of changeless love.
Alive, awake,
His call is here:
it is the crying of the Child;
I know Christ’s call,
its hidden flame,
it makes my spirit flare with hope!
Renewed, his hope,
his light in us...
This root, this stem, this flowering Love,
this mustard seed,
it grows to the greatest tree,
the birds of souls have nested there.
The light of the night
Now blazes at dawn!
You’ve lead me here,
O little child,
your being singing with God’s life.
The kingdom sings,
it choirs with earth,
all creation lives Christ’s peace.
Renewed, his hope,
his light in us...
Euan Tait
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