An Advent Prayer for December 19th

Balulalow

James, John and Robert Wedderbrun (16^th century)

 

O my dear heart, young Jesus sweet,

Prepare thy cradle in my spirit.

And I shall rock thee in my heart

And never more from thee depart.

But I shall praise thee evermore

With songs sweet to thy glory,

The knees of my heart shall I bow,

And sing that right Balulalow

 

The Celts speak of liminal space or “thin space,” that time/place where God seems especially present, where earth nearly touches heaven.  We stumble upon these thin spaces, sometimes in church, sometimes in nature, and sometimes in the rocking chair as we whisper a lullaby to a “precious wee bairn.” 

It is a “thin space” lullaby that makes up this prayer of the Wedderbrun brothers. Balulalow is Scottish for lullaby, making this prayer/poem a lullaby to the Christ child.  I love the intimacy: “I shall rock thee in my heart.”  The rhythm of the heartbeat, the rhythm of the rocking chair, combine to create a settled sense of time, of presence.

I picture the young mother Mary, rocking her babe as she is propped against a mound of hay in the stable, or cradling her son in the dark of night on the road to Egypt, once more holding the words of Gabriel deep within.  It is that image that I cling to, as I open my heart to this babe, this redeemer, this savior.   

With Mary I sing, I pray, the knees of my heart bow: Balulalow, Jesus, balualow.     

 

Prayer Focus:  every knee shall bow