Nativity Hymn 16: The Garments He Put On

Refrain, sung twice: Glory to the whole of you from all of us!

Who that is a mortal man can speak of the Giver of all life,

who left the height of his majesty and lowered himself to humility?

You who exalt all by your birth, exalt my weak mind

to speak of your birth: not so that I may search out your majesty,

but so that I may proclaim your grace.

Refrain: Blessed be he who conceals and reveals in his discourses!

It is a great marvel that the Son dwelt wholly in a body.

He lived in it wholly, and it was enough for him; he dwelt in it, though he was not bounded by it.

His will was wholly in it; his bounds reached wholly to his Father.

Who is able to tell how, though he dwelt wholly in a body,

he likewise dwelt wholly in all?

Refrain: Blessed is he who, though without bounds, was bounded!

Your majesty is hidden from us; your grace is revealed before us.

I will be silent, Lord, about your majesty, and I will tell of your grace.

Your grace clung to you and bowed you down to our vileness.

Your grace made you a baby; your grace made you man.

It narrowed your majesty, and it enlarged it.

Refrain: Blessed be the might that became little and became great!

Glory to him who became lowly, though by his nature he was lofty!

In his love he became the firstborn of Mary, though he is the Firstborn of the Godhead.

In name he became the offspring of Joseph, though he is the offspring of the Most High.

By his own will he became man, though by his nature he is God.

Glorified be your will and your nature!

Refrain: Blessed be your glory, which put on our image!

Yes, Lord, your birth has become the mother of all creatures,

for it went into labor anew and gave birth to mankind, which gave birth to you.

You were born of it in the body; it was born of you in the spirit.

All you came to birth for was that man might be born in your likeness.

Your birth became the source of birth for all.

Refrain: Blessed be he who became a youth and gave youth to all!

When man’s hope had broken down, hope grew by your birth.

The heavenly ones brought good news of hope to men.

Satan, who cut off our hope, cut off his own hope with his own hands

when he saw that hope had grown. Your birth became for the hopeless

a fountain teeming with hope.

Refrain: Blessed be he who brought the good news of hope!

The day of your birth is like you, for it is desired and loved as you are.

We who did not see your birth and its flame in its own time,

in this day of yours we see you, just as you were as a baby.

Beloved by all men, see, the churches rejoice in you;

your day adorns and is adorned.

Refrain: Blessed be your day, which was appointed for us!

Your day has given us a gift to which the Father has no equal.

He did not send us seraphim, nor did cherubim come down among us;

neither Watchers nor ministers came, but the Firstborn to whom they minister.

Who is able to give thanks enough that the Majesty which is beyond measure

is laid in the lowly manger!

Refrain: Blessed be he who gave us what he had won!

Your birth made that generation glad, and your day makes our generation glad.

Twofold was the happiness of that generation, for they saw your birth and also your day.

Less is the happiness of those who come after, for they see only the day of your birth.

Yet because those who lived then doubted, greater is the happiness of those who come after,

who have believed in you though they have not seen you.

Refrain: Blessed be your happiness, which is added to us!

The Magi exalted him from far away; the scribes grumbled close at hand.

The prophet showed his message, and Herod his wrath;

the scribes showed their teaching; the Magi showed their offerings.

It is a marvel that to him, the Baby, those of his own house hurried with their swords,

and those who were strangers with their offerings.

Refrain: Blessed be your birth, which has stirred up all!

The bosom of Mary amazes me, that it was enough for you, Lord, and embraced you.

All creation was too small to hide your majesty;

heaven and earth were too narrow to be like wings and cover your Godhead.

The bosom of the earth was too small for you; the bosom of Mary was great enough for you.

He dwelt in the bosom and healed in her bosom.

He was wrapped poorly in swaddling clothes, and offerings were offered to him.

He put on garments in his youth, and help came out of them.

He put on the waters of baptism, and rays of light shone out of them.

He put on linen cloths in death, and in them triumphs were shown:

with his humiliations came his exaltations.

Refrain: Blessed be he who joined his glory to his suffering!

All these are the changes of clothing that Mercy put off and put on

when he strove to clothe Adam again with the glory Adam had put off.

He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, as Adam was in leaves, and clothed in garments instead of skins.

He was baptized for Adam’s sin and buried for Adam’s death.

He rose and raised Adam into glory.

Refrain: Blessed be he who came down and clothed him and went up!

Though your birth was enough for Adam’s sons as it was for Adam,

O Mighty One who became a baby, by your birth you have begotten me anew!

O pure One who were baptized, let your washing wash away our filth!

O Living One who were buried, may we gain life in your death!

I will praise the whole of you in him who fills all.

Refrain: Glory to the whole of you from all of us!