The Holly and the Ivy
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
O, the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flow'are,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Saviour
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good
The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn
The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as the gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
For to redeem us all
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1
These lyrics are almost too hard to sing with the simple melody we usually sing for this carol. But in those words are the reason for the season: Jesus came to save us. The majestic and beautiful holly comes with its blossoms, thorns, and bark all harkening to something yet to come. When the choir sang this as part of their Feast of Carols a few years ago, I was struck by the reminders every verse of Jesus’ Crucifixion through the parts of the tree. A baby came as a gift to us in the midst of a stable, a star lit night, in a place far from his parents’ home. Now that we know of the other end of this baby’s life (and Resurrection) can we fully feel the intertwined emotions in the lyrics. Let us all remember the life of Jesus whenever we see holly this Christmas season.
Prayer: Holy God in this season of Advent we prepare our hearts for your coming. You are the vine, we are the branches. Come and tend us. Prune us. Clean us. Discard in us everything that does not bear fruit, Nourish in us everything that bears much fruit. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen
—Diane Olin White