A few songs for your Christmas Sing-along

Dear Readers,

Here are a few songs for your Christmas Sing-along:

 


 Tu scendi dalle stelle, O re del Cielo, E vieni in una grotta, Al freddo e al gelo;

O bambino mio divino, Io ti vedo qui tremar, O Dio beato, Oh! quanto ti costò, L’avermi amato!

A te, che sei del mondo, il Creatore, Mancano panni e fuoco, O mio Signore;

Caro eletto pargoletto, Quanto questa povertà, Più m’innamora, Giacché si fece amor, Povero ancora!

 

( In English)

You come down from the stars, Oh King of Heaven,

And come into a cave, in cold and ice,

Oh my divine Child, I see you shivering here, oh blessed God.

Oh, how much it cost you to have loved me.

You, who are the Creator of the world, lack clothing and fire.

Oh, my Lord, dear chosen Babe, how much this poverty makes me love you;

Since love made itself poor also.

 


Adeste fideles, laeti triumphantes

Venite, Venite, in Bethlehem

Natum videti, Regem Angelorum

Venite Adoremus, Venite Adoremus

Venite Adoremus, Venite Adoremus

Cantet nuc io, Chorus Angelorum

Cantet nunc alula coelestium

Gloria, Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Venite Adoremus, Venite Adoremus

Venite Adoremus, Dominum.

***

 

(In English)

Oh come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant;

Oh come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold Him born the King of Angels;

Oh come let us adore Him, 

Oh come let us adore him,

Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above;

Glory to God in the highest;

Oh come let us adore Him,

Oh come let us adore him,

Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

 

Ye Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;

Jesus to Thee by glory given;

World of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

Oh come let us adore Him,

Oh come let us adore him,

Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. 

 

Sul mare luccica

L’astro d’argento,

Placida è l’onda

Prospero è il vento,

Venite all’agile

Barchetta mia!

(Chorus)

Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia!

Con questo zeffiro

Così soave

Oh! comè bello

Star sulla nave! Su passeggeri

Venite via!

(Chorus)

Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia!

Or che tardate

Bella è la sera

Spira un auretta

Fresca e leggera

Venite all’agile

Barchetta mia!

(In English)

On the sea shines the Silver star,

Calm is the water, 

favorable the wind

Come to my supple boat, Santa Lucia.

With this zephyr, so smooth,

How beautiful it is to be aboard

Come travelers, come away.

Now why delay? 

This evening is beautiful

A cool, light breeze is blowing,

Come to my supple boat, Santa Lucia. 
 

 

Quanno nascette Ninno a Bettelemme

Era notta e pareammizzò juorno!

Maje le stelle lustere e belle

Se vedettero accusi!

La chiù lucente

Jetta a chiammà li Magi in Oriente

No n’cerano nemice ppe in terra,

La Perora pascea co lione,

Co le caprette, se vedette

Lo Liopardo pazzia

L’urzo co zetiello

E col u lupo ‘n pace u pecoriello.

Guardavano le pecore il posture

E l’angelo, sbrennende chiu be lu sole

Comparette

E le dicette

No ve spaventate, no!

La terra è arrenzentata Paradiso!

 

***

Panettone is now readily available even in “big box” stores, however should the spirit of the season move you, here is a recipe for Panettone as made in Milan:

1/2 c. milk, scalded

1 envelope active dry yeast, dissolved in 1/4 c. lukewarm water

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 tsp salt

5- 5-1/2 c. sifted flour

4 egg yolks

2 eggs

1 c. seedless raisins

1/2 c. chopped citron

 

Let yeast and water mixture stand 5-10 minutes. Place butter, sugar, and salt in large bowl, pour scalded milk over mixture, and stir until butter is melted.  When mixture is lukewarm beat in 1 cup of the flour, add softened yeast mixture, and blend thoroughly. Add half of the remaining flour and beat until thoroughly blended. Beat eggs until light and fluffy and add, beating dough until smooth. Flour fruits and add.  Then mix in remaining flour to make soft dough.  Turn out on lightly floured board and let stand 5-10 minutes.  Knead thoroughly and shape into large ball.
     Place dough in greased bowl.  Turn to bring greased surface to top.  Cover with waxed paper and towel.  Let stand in warm place (about 80 degrees F) until dough is double in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch down with fist and fold edges toward center.  Cover and let rise again until double in bulk (about 30 minutes).  Shape into 2 round loaves and place on greased baking sheet.
     Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon water.  Brush top of loaves with mixture.  Decorate with nuts and candied fruits as desired.  Cover and let rise about 45 minutes, or until double in bulk.  Bake in moderately hot oven (350 degrees F) for 45 minutes. Cool on rack. Serve sliced, hot or cold.
     Yield: 2 large loaves.

***

 

Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Micah wrote with inspired vision: “You, Bethlehem, though little among the cities of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth Him that is to be the ruler in Israel!”  In the fullness of the time, the Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  The world has never been the same since that date!  Even our calendar has been changed, as men recognized the importance of the event.  God became a Man, enfleshed in poverty, wrapped in swaddling bands of a crying, helpless baby! This is the sign of His love for us.  The poor cannot say: “He does not know what it is to be homeless”. The lowly cannot say “He does not know what it is to be depressed”. Christmas is not something that happened many years again a far off land- Christmas is something that is happening.  Christmas is forever, as God is forever.  

 

The mystery and the wonder of Christmas is expressed beautifully in the words which we say in the Preface of the Mass of Christmas: “We know God now in a visible way!”.  God the Absolute, the unknowable, the unapproachable, God who said to Moses: “You cannot see My face, for no man sees Me and still lives”.  God who can be only seen by the angels and the saints in heaven, has come among us clothed in human flesh, that we have seen and touched.   Napoleon, Alexander, Julius Caesar have been seen and touched by us, because men have seen and touched them.  Christ has been seen and touched by millions of men…”  He became flesh and lived among us”…
     The wonder of Christmas is not the painless birth.  Not even that a virgin should become a mother.  Not that a  star should stream like a torch above a stable.  The wonder of Christmas, the glory of Christmas, the incredible miracle of Christmas was that God, no matter how or when or where, should become man!
    And this miracle was made for me and you!

***