Come all ye faithful

This is a very strange song with lyrics devised by someone to the tune of a popular pop Christmas song, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.” This person with an imaginative mind renamed the song:

Thermal underwear

Blizzard blows; are you listening?

On the snow, crystals glistening!

To hell with the storm! I’m cozy and warm, Walking ‘round in thermal underwear!

On the ground, all is crunchy;

Birdies down for some munchies!

I’ll put out some feed, some suet, and seed, Walking ‘round in thermal underwear!

On the deck, I see a little squirrel;

I’ll pretend that he’s my dinner guest!

Not to worry, beastie; there’s no peril!

I’ll forget for now that you’re a pest!

Later on, roads are icy;

Slippin’ cars, driving’s dicey!

But I’ve got me some wine, and I’m feeling fine,

Dancing ‘round in thermal underwear!

This has been a strange year. The Christmas shopping started so early. Retail sales increase dramatically as early as the third week of November, and department store decors go up as early as the day after Halloween.

The top two Christmas songs ranked by YouTube views are:

1. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

2. Last Christmas by Wham!

Then, churches sang and played more traditional Christmas carols and hymns. Call me a dinosaur, old, traditional, or conservative, but I enjoy the hymns more than modern-day Christmas songs, which function more like love songs with repeated choruses that are deprived of meaning. Many classic hymns have been categorized by seasons or holidays but were written to be sung throughout the year. We sing “Christmas songs” without much thought to the words we are singing. Such was the case with this beloved carol.

One of my favorite Christmas carols is “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Based on the Scriptural verse: “And when they came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense and myrrh.1”

John Francis Wade, author of this hymn, was an English refugee in France and Portugal in 1745. He was a Roman Catholic layman, but because of a rise in persecution, he had been forced to flee. And so, he searched for a way to support himself. In those days, printing musical scores was cumbersome, and copying them by hand was an art. Wade taught music at the famous Roman Catholic College and Ministry Center in Douay, France, and became renowned as a copyist of musical scores. His work was exquisite.

In 1743, Wade produced a copy of a Latin hymn that began with the phrase Adeste Fideles, Laeti Triumphantes. When John Wade passed away in August 1786, his obituary honored him for his beautiful manuscript that adorned chapels. As time passed, English Catholics began returning to Britain, carrying many of Wade’s Latin hymns. One day, an Anglican Minister named Rev. Frederick Oakeley came across Wade’s Latin Christmas Carol. Being deeply moved, he translated it into English. The first line of Oakeley’s translation said: “Ye Faithful, Approach Ye.” Somehow, “Ye Faithful, Approach Ye” didn’t catch on, and several years later, Oakeley tried again. As he repeatedly repeated the Latin phrase Adeste Fideles, Laeti Triumphantes, he finally came up with the simpler, more vigorous O Come, All Ye Faithful, Joyful, and Triumphant!2

Two men, living a hundred years apart, writing in two different nations, combined their talents to bid us come, joyful and triumphant, and adore Him born the King of Angels.

Jesus calls to His faithful today! Will you come, worship, and adore Christ the Lord?

“O come, let us adore Him, O come, Let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him -

Christ the Lord”2

This begs the question: Do we come to Him to worship and adore Him?

Neil A. Maxwell says: Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus. And so come all ye faithful.

The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but to be in His Presence.

Isn’t the song beautiful? That is why I love hymns. And it is infinitely better than hearing the song, “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.”

And Blessed Christmas to one and all.

(Francis Kong’s podcast “Inspiring Excellence” is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, or other podcast streaming platforms.)