Back to Advent: 5 Days Until The Child

When the prospect of raising a child with problems arrived, I took the hand of Our Lord and knew I would never let go. Ever. I would walk with this Savior until my earthly life was through.

In this sense, my Simeon saves me. I can relate to Our Lady here in that when I gaze down at my baby kicking on the floor all fleshy and pink, I believe I'll see heaven because of him.

Sure, Christ saves me but without my Simeon I would have never kissed His Cross. I would have never pressed my face to its tinder, known its smell and made the wood my own.

Simeon had to go to yet another specialist today, and while this kind of thing typically doesn't get me down, it kind of did today. So I guess he's on my mind.

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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 Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

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.

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.

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.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

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.

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.