O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Big

I suppose he only had a few inches on me
But in my mind
Francis Eugene Hudson will always be enormous

Those same meaty hands that gripped golf clubs and pigskin
Shook emphatically at referees, ripped rhubarb from the garden
Crossed kingly behind his head in that tremendous, throne of a chair

Also delicately pieced together
A 3-story, baby blue, Victorian dollhouse
Complete with wallpaper, windows, and gingerbread trim
My dream in

Miniature



This is a picture of my Grandpa. He was a lot of things to a lot of people. Like all of us humans, he wasn't perfect. He was good and bad. But he was loved.

The week before last, my right hand held his, my left hand held a copy of the Book of Common Prayer.

Almighty God, look on this your servant, lying in great weakness, and comfort him with the promise of life everlasting, given in the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Of all the things I never thought I would do.

God the Father, have mercy on your servant.
God the Son, have mercy on your servant.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on your servant.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on your servant.

Something happened in the saying of these words.

From all evil, from all sin, from all tribulation, Good Lord, deliver him.
By your holy Incarnation, by your Cross and Passion, by your precious Death and Burial, Good Lord, deliver him.
By your glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Spirit, Good Lord, deliver him.

As I spoke, I knew. This is the Christmas season, this is advent. This is when we wait.

We sinners beseech you to hear us, Lord Christ: That it may please you to deliver the soul of your servant from the power of evil, and from eternal death, we beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please you mercifully to pardon all his sins, we beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please you to grant him a place of refreshment and everlasting blessedness, we beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
That it may please you to give him joy and gladness in your kingdom, with your saints in light, we beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

We join together in anticipation of the Coming of the Lord.

Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on him.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on him.
Jesus, redeemer of the world: give him your peace.

There are so many things I don't know. So many things that I can't know.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

But I know. Somehow, every particle of my being knows that we do not wait in vain.

Deliver your servant, O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set him free from every bond; that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Francis Eugene Hudson passed from this world within the hour, in the company of his dearest love, Freda.

And now, soon, as the season of waiting ends, we celebrate. We celebrate this coming. God with us. We celebrate God with us. All of us.

May those of you who wait know that you do not wait in vain.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.


This 12th century hymn was translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale.
The recitations preceding (in italics) can be found in The Book of Common Prayer, Oxford University Press, NY.