Hark! the herald angels sing – stanza 1
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
I experience many emotions throughout the Advent season: anticipation, inspiration, content, curiosity, joy, and awe. Growing up one of my fondest memories of this season was the variety of music. The proclamation that rings out when “Hark! The herald angels sing” is sung in a chorus of harmonious voices, with the piano, strings, and trumpets all playing along, bringing me back to a joyful memory that I can only feel in my body. I can feel it out to my fingertips and up through my center, the feeling of inspiration that something wonderful has happened. The music fills me down to my toes as I reach deep down into my diaphragm for a full breath to proclaim through song, “peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
I can’t help but be curious how the angels in the Gospel of Luke were feeling at the time of this proclamation. Did they feel it through their bodies, not just their head but their heart and their gut and all the way to their toes as their feet were planted on the ground the night the angels appeared to proclaim the good news? Hark! As the angels sing, may you feel it in your bones that a savior is born for all people!
Adrienne Kuchler Eldridge,’02