Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

Some rushed baking this morning, and the washing of children, the fiddling with tights and hair, the admonishments not to squabble, and finally the muscling of them over to church for the pageant at five. If you’re anywhere near Binghamton I hope you’ll join us. There will be singing and the story of the incarnation, and candles and Silent Night. And then I’ll have to herd the children home, after everyone else has gone and face the business of getting them to calm down and go to bed so that all their hearts desire can be given to them in the morning. The gentle lie of Santa, who breaks in during the night with an over abundance of sugar and toys, contrasted against the sobriety of a baby, who breaks in with himself, with a great and unmerited forgiveness, with the gift of a redeemed creation, a restored mind, a reality where sorrow and sighing flee away before love, will be overwhelming, for them, as it is for me. They will wonder and stumble around and crash in to the corners of tables. They will collapse under the weight of so much glory.

Just one more carol, my favorite ever.

The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the applle tree

His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
I missed of all but now I see
‘Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.