Morning Star (A Moravian Hymn)
Johannes Scheffler (17th
century)
Morning Star, O
cheering sight!
Ere Thou
cam’st, how dark the night!
Jesus mine, in
me shine,
Fill my heart
with light divine.
Morning Star,
thy glory bright
Far excels the
sun’s clear light,
Jesus be,
constantly,
More than
thousand suns to me.
When living
in Philadelphia, we were privileged to journey to Bethlehem (Pennsylvania, not
Judea) to attend a traditional Christmas observance known as the Moravian Love
Feast. Surrounded by the soft glow of
the beeswax candles, we sang of the heraldic angels, the shepherds who
faithfully watched o’er their flocks by night, and the sweet, holy child in a
manger. I still get chills running down
my spine as I remember the presence of God in that music.
Coffee
and sweet rolls were shared during the service, an expression of the love feast
marked within the Moravian Church. After
the transcendent majesty and mystery of the music, the gracious offering of
hospitality was a particular reminder of the immanence of God in the incarnation.
It is from this tradition that we pray the prayer of the
morning star. “Jesus mine, in me shine,
Jesus be, constantly, more than thousand suns to me.” Jesus said, “I am the Root and the Offspring
of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16). As such, the morning star proclaims that the
night has ended, that new light has come.
It is no coincidence that within the Moravian tradition,
this carol-prayer is a responsive one led by children, just as Isaiah 11
promises. “A little child shall lead
them.” So we pray today the child-like,
profound words as the light of the Morning Star shines upon us: “Jesus mine, in me shine.”
Prayer
Focus: shine in me, Jesus
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