Today I was listening to Ola Gjeilo's absolutely amazing setting of the O Magnum Mysterium text (because I am lucky enough to be singing it in choir for Christmas!). 

O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum,

ut animalia viderent Dominum natum jacentem in praesepio!

Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum!

Alleluia!

O great mystery and wonderful sacrament,

that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger!

Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord!

Alleluia!

I was thinking about the text, and how I like it because, as an animal lover, I appreciate the reminder that mere barn animals were elevated to the status of being among the first to lay eyes on the son of God.  After further thought, I realized that was just the beginning of a long trend.  Through Jesus, God showed us his many love affairs with the underdog.

He was born in a stable, perhaps among piles of excrement, surrounded by animals.  He associated with people like tax collectors and prostitutes-- everyone society loved to hate.  He touched and healed the sick.  He said, "let the little children come to me."  He died with common criminals, even promising one of them a place in heaven.  And women were the first to see him risen.

Sometimes I wonder if there is a more-outside-the-box view of Jesus' role as savior, as the one who "takes away the sins of the world," as he who, if we believe in him, gives us everlasting life.  It isn't merely by being that he brings us light, but by being who he was, and doing what he did, and saying what he said.  He showed the world a new way of living, in love.  What if we all followed that, to the letter?  Wouldn't we all be saved, in the most visceral and physical and literal way, by our love and caring for each other?  Wouldn't we be without sin, without hate and greed and pride?  Wouldn't we be fit for heaven and its eternity indeed if we embodied love?

He always led by example.  If there was no one who was beneath God-- if he proved that to us, unequivocally, from the moment of his birth until his death and beyond-- how dare we believe there is anyone beneath us?  How can we look down our noses at the kind of people he made a point to embrace and love?

Food for thought.



Choral settings of the text:

Ola Gjeilo (Phoenix Chorale, and Sofia Vokalensemble):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp63c81go2U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Femr6-OMEM

Morten Lauridsen (Nordic Chamber Choir):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn5ken3RJBo

Others to follow-- this text has been set by many, from Palestrina to Victoria and many more.  Eventually I'll have recordings of the most popular once I can assess them for the ones I like best.

The text on Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Magnum_Mysterium

On ChoralWiki/Choral Public Domain Library (including free scores): http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/O_magnum_mysterium