Patrick Comerford
We are in the last days of Advent, and Christmas Day is next Thursday. At noon each day this Advent, I am offering an image or two as part of my own ‘Advent Calendar’ for 2025, and an Advent or Christmas carol, hymn or song.
My images for my Advent Calendar today is of snow some years ago at the Moat House, the former Comberford family home on Lichfield Street in Tamworth and a Christmas card with the former Church of Saint Mary and Saint George in Comberford, near Lichfield and Tamworth in a watercolour by Freda Morgan (2008).
My choice of a carol or hymn today is ‘While shepherds watched their flocks’, a traditional Christmas carol said to have been written by the Irish hymn-writer and England’s Poet Laureate, the Dublin-born Nahum Tate (1652-1715). It is one of the carols we sang yesterday afternoon at the Carol Service in Saunt Mary and Saint Giles Church in Stony Stratford.
The words were first published by Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady in 1700 in their supplement to their New Version of the Psalms of David of 1696. It is based on the Gospel story of the angels appearing to the shepherds (see Luke 2: 8-14).
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
‘Fear not,’ said he (for mighty dread
had seized their troubled mind);
‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring
to you and all mankind.
‘To you in David’s town this day
is born of David’s line
a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:
‘The heav’nly Babe you there shall find
to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
and in a manger laid.’
Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus
addressed their joyful song:
‘All glory be to God on high,
and to the earth be peace;
Goodwill henceforth from heav’n to men
begin and never cease.
