People, Look East

Now that we're in Advent, we're moving swiftly toward Christmas, which is my favorite liturgical season (sorry Easter, although I love you, too). And on Sunday, at my Mom's parish in Lakeland, the choir sang the wonderful Advent hymn, "People, Look East." The song has been running through my head off and on (along with Dean Martin's "Volare") ever since.

As much as I'm fond of "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel, "People, Look East" is just such a joyful song about preparing and making ready to celebrate Jesus -- the guest, the rose, the bird, the star -- even and despite the fact that sometimes in the struggles of life it can feel like "earth is bare" "wings are frozen" and "night is dim." 

I could only find one version that wasn't dirge speed. They don't sing all five verses here, but it's still just beautiful:

The Lord is coming!