Infant holy, infant lowly
For His bed a cattle stall
Oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ, the babe is Lord of all
One of the things I enjoy about Christmas carols is learning about where they originate. Christianity is a worldwide religion of about two and a half billion people on Earth. Different times, cultures, and places have all contributed to the amazing amount of songs that people sing concerning Christ’s birth. Most of them are usually lullabies, sung to young children in order to both comfort them and teach them our faith.
Today’s carol comes from Poland, a nation that has been invaded and occupied by foreign forces ever since it existed. The Poles for generations have understood the experiences of the Holy Family because they know what it is like to be under the tyranny of foreign despots and forced to do the bidding of their conquerors. In fact, if Mary and Joseph had come from Poland, their story may not have been very different.
‘Infant Holy, Infant lowly’ tells the tale of the manger scene and how the Christ-child has come to free His people from sorrow – something that the Polish people have only recently accomplished in the last 25 years.
Points to ponder
How does Christ’s birth set humanity free? When have I experienced that freedom in my life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You were sent into the world to free us from our sins and sorrow. We are grateful for Your success in that mission and will thankfully serve You forevermore. Amen.
Today’s image is one of John’s nativity drawings called ‘Starry Night.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click here.
You can listen to some kids sweetly singing this delightful carol on YouTube: