Veni Veni Emmanuel

What do a 9th century Latin chant, a 15th century French tune, and a 21st century Texas church have in common?  Tradition.  Deep in the recesses of Church history lie amazing stories.  Many of those stories center around songs, lyrics, and song writers who were touched by God in some amazing way.  While many of us know the histories of newer songs, there are some hymns and chorals that are so old that their history is mired in the collective dust of the past.  On this side of glory, we probably will never know the story in its entirety.

When I was in seminary, I remember reading about one of these songs that has been handed down throughout the ages; O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  Originally, this mother of all Advent hymns was a chant used in the late 8th century or early 9th century.  At the time, they didn't sing songs like we do today...they chanted them.  In fact, in the United Methodist Hymnal we have a translation of the early chant from the Latin into English.  The chant would have been 'sung' much like a responsive reading.  Part of the choir would chant the first part of the lyric and then the rest of the choir would respond.  They would continue the back and forth pattern until the song was finished.

But sometime in the Middle Ages, churches began to have hymns instead of chants.  Apparently, a hymn was written in France as a processional hymn.  The words to O Come, O Come Emmanuel fit the meter of this tune and so the song could be sung instead of chanted.  Sometime during the mid-19th century, the song was translated into English from Veni Veni Emmanuel into our modern adaption.  Interestingly, since it is translated from Latin you will come across various lyrics in English (although they should have close to the same meaning).

So why the history lesson?  Well, apparently at some point it became popular in churches to sing this song the first Sunday of Advent.  That is this coming Sunday.  This Advent season Haskell UMC will continue the long tradition of singing this song.  Each week we will sing a couple of verses and recite the antiphons together.  We will join our brothers and sisters in the faith of ages past in singing and reciting these ancient words of expectation.

advent=adventus=coming

You see, especially in our postmodern world, Advent is an interesting time of year.  When the rest of the world is shopping, baking, planning, and decorating, the Church is waiting.  In many ways, like Lent, we are being still.  There is a sense of mournful excitement as we look forward to the birth of Christ.  And yet, Advent is also a season of looking forward to the reappearing of the Christ in the clouds.  It's a time with the purples (or blues) of silence.  It's a time that we recognize that even though the blessed Child of Mary has indeed been born that we continue to live in a fallen world.  Those who know Christ are filled with joy and yet we continue to mourn for our fellow humans who don't.

Perhaps that's why I like Veni Veni Emmanuel so much.  The tune is mournful but the words speak of hope.  The song is mysterious while the lyrics push us upwards towards God's salvation.  Verse 6 (in the UM Hymnal) state "O come, thy Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thy justice here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight."  That sums up this season of darkness and light.  In the midst of waiting and mourning we are filled with excitement that Christ has come and he will come again. Until next time...

+May your season of Advent be filled with watching, waiting, and expecting our blessed Savior.



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