Merry Christmas! (And, yes, it is still Christmas! We’re within the octave and the season goes until the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism in January.)

One of the special parts of this season is the carols.

Along with What Child is This? and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, a song which has more recently become one of my favorite Christmas carols is: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.”

Of the Father’s love begotten

ere the worlds began to be,

He is Alpha and Omega;

He the source, the ending He,

of the things that are, that have been,

and that future years shall see

evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessed,

when a virgin, full of grace,

by the Holy Ghost conceiving,

bore the Savior of our race;

and the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,

first revealed his sacred face,

evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heaven adore Him,

angel hosts, His praises sing,

pow’ers, dominions, bow before Him,

and extol our God and King;

let no tongue on earth be silent,

ev’ery voice in concert ring

evermore and evermore!

Christ, to Thee with God the Father

and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,

hymn and chant and high thanksgiving

and unwearied praises be:

honor, glory, and dominion,

and eternal victory

evermore and evermore!

The combination of a beautiful, almost haunting melody and profound, touching words is just about enough to give me chills. I love to play it on the piano/organ.

This hymn originated as a poem, written by Spanish lawyer and statesman Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius shortly after the Council of Nicea. It reinforces the truth of Christ’s divinity as the council had done.

The writer actually devoted the evening of his life to composing Christian poems. (https://www.sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/fathers-love-begotten)

There is a lot more to the history, but I won’t go into details here.

What I will say is that I hope it touches and inspires your heart to awe and praise as it has mine.