Of That First Night

Did the star take on a brighter brightness?

The snow that fell, a greater whiteness?

Did Joseph and his poor young wife

Know then how they would spend this night?

And did they know that God the Son

That night, before the eve was done

Would be born in a lowly stable

And thus would be Holy birth’s label?

Did angels crowd at Heaven’s door

Eager to share of Christ, their Lord?

To go and shout, “Look here, He’s come!

He’ll save from sins His chosen ones!”

And yet, He was a little baby,

Just a child had come to save me

A tiny boy of infant size

Yet it was He who carved the skies!

His tiny fingers wove that star

That shone straight down, so very far

And yet He cried like any child;

God, by humanness defiled

So it was, so long ago,

Before had come His time of woe

Two thousand years ago, this night,

A Child was born, and there was Light.

-- Sarah Butler