December 8, Deac. Carolyn Brinkley

“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (LSB 359) Lo, how a rose e'er blooming From tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse's lineage coming As prophets long have sung, It came, a flow'ret bright, Amid the cold of winter, When half-spent was the night. Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The rose I have in mind; With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God's love aright, She bore to us a Savior, When half-spent was the night. This flow'r, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air, Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness ev'rywhere. True man, yet very God, From sin and death he saves us And lightens ev'ry load. O Savior, child of Mary, Who felt our human woe; O Savior, King of glory, Who dost our weakness know: Bring us at length we pray To the bright courts of heaven, And to the endless day.

What is one of the most exquisite fragrances in God’s creation? The rose! How fitting that this beloved German Christmas hymn, from the 16th century, uses the rose, a flow’ret bright, as a metaphor for the sweet promised Savior.

The stench of death emanating from our first parents’ disobedience in the Garden of Eden is repugnant. Who will rescue us? Who will save us? Isaiah ‘twas foretold it, the rose I have in mind. “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7:14). Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as prophets long have sung. This Son of David would be the Savior “who gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2b) to release us from the curse of death.

Do you remember Martha’s response to Jesus’ command to open the tomb of Lazarus? She replied, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39 KJV). And then the Incarnate God, this flow’r whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air, speaks words of life calling Lazarus from his grave. This is the same fragrance of Christ that we are given in our Baptism. “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other, a fragrance of life to life.” (2 Cor: 2:15-16 ESV)

Dearest Jesus, grant us grace to be Your fragrance of life. Amen.

Deac. Carolyn Brinkley

Director of CTSFW Military Project

Christ Academy: High School Professor 2022