Love Came Down

The month of December seems to move faster and faster as it nears the 25th. The calendar gets crammed, expectations rise, and it’s easy to lose sight of Jesus in all the Christmas chaos. If you need a laugh about how easy it is for people to be confused by Christmas check out this Nate Bargatze clip.

If I could play one song for the whole world right now it would be Love Came Down at Christmas. The song is based on a poem (see below) by Christina Rossetti published in 1885 when the poet was in her mid 50’s. She had lived enough life and experienced enough pain that the poem reads more like sage spiritual wisdom than the sentimentality of most carols and cards. Here is my favorite version of the song if you want to give it a listen. The entire album is beautiful.

The poem begins with God’s initiative. Before we could reach up God reaches down through the incarnation becoming one of us. God’s love doesn’t end there. We receive love and then share it.

There is a strange sounding question that ends the second stanza, “but wherewith for sacred sign?” Rossetti is inviting us to ask the question, what should our worship look like? How do we live out the meaning of Christmas?

The final stanza is especially powerful. Love becomes our hallmark - the visible sign of genuine faith. Not right beliefs. Not perfect behavior. Love. Love that radiates outward toward God and others. Love is the simplest summary of Christmas.

May you know and share his love divine this Christmas.

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Love Came Down at Christmas
Christina Rossetti

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, Love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.