Today's sound file is a poem by my friend, Madeleine L'Engle, set by me and harmonized by Barry L. Bobb. It was previously published by Augsburg-Fortress Publishing, and has been reprinted by Oregon Catholic Press, Portland OR.  Please purchase it for your church choir, or it will speedily go out of print. The organist is Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm, BSG.  It is sung by the trebles of the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop on the cd, "Music for the Twelve Days of Christmas."
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He did not wait till the world was ready,

Till ev’ry nation was at peace.

He came when the heavens were unsteady,

And prisoners cried out for release.

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He did not wait till the perfect time;

He came when the need was deep and great.

He dined with sinners in all their grime,

Turned water into wine.

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He did not wait till hearts were pure.

In joy He came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt;

To a world like ours, of anguished shame,

He came, and His light will not go out.

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He came to a world which did not mesh,

To heal its tangles, shield its scorn.

In the mystery of the Word made Flesh,

The Maker of the stars was born.

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We cannot wait till the world is sane

To raise our song with joyful voice,

For to share our grief, to touch our pain,

He came with love. Rejoice!  Rejoice!

New tracks tagged #Christmas anthem