Merry Christmas

A short trip to Bethlehem, a visit to the Church of the Nativity, and another poem by Erich Sonntag

Dear readers,

we’re interrupting the trip to Mexico for this occasion—it simply takes a wee bit longer to prepare these postings adequately, and, as you may imagine, time is a precious thing this time of year.

Hence, for today I’ve got a few postcards from the “Jordan” section, which contains a few, pre-1967 postcards from the West Bank of that river. It is there that I found a few more specimen from East Jerusalem (with the remainder being in the “Israel” section), which I shall post next Easter, including the ones below.

There is a lot I could write, but I won’t.

Instead, I’m offering a few picture postcards and another poem by Erich Sonntag.

O come ye to Bethlehem

A View of Bethlehem, with the Church of the Nativity in the top-left corner; although the postcard was never mailed, given its filing among the “Jordan” postcards, I suppose it pre-dates 1967.

Above, the entrance to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and inside, in the place said to be where Jesus of Nazareth was born, one finds these sights:

“In a Church that the War Spared”

A poem by Erich Sonntag (scroll down for the German original)

No one is there.
Thou, Lord, only thou and me.
Thou art close to me.
I bow in humility.

Against cool pillars
the gaze reaches upwards.
Wondrously stained windows. There falls
a fragile ray of sunlight
across the soaring nave
into the choir.

The chill weighs heavy
on the soul and tired senses.
The old pews groan—
as I sink deeply.
The bright day came for prayer:
A brilliant and bright ray of sunlight,
how calmly it now stands before the Lord.
My heart is cramped and squeezed.
It sees and yet fails to see.
”Lord, thou art the light!”

Thy breath has touched me.
Thy will embraced me warmly
by the coat, and guided by Thee
I kneel. Very humble and meek.

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“In einer Kirche, die der Krieg verschonte”

Niemand ist da.
Du, Herr, allein und ich.
Du bist mir nah.
In Demut beuge ich mich.

An kühlen Säulen zagt
der Blick empor.
Wunderbunte Fenster. Es wagt
ein zitteriger Sonnenstrahl—
quer durch den hohen Saal—
sich in den Chor.
Schwer liegt die Kühle
auf Gemüt und müdem Sinn.
es knarrt im alten Betgestühle—
tief sinke ich hin.

Der helle Tag kam zum Gebet:
Der flimmernd helle Sonnenstrahl,
wie ruhig er nun vorm Herrgott steht.
Mein Herz ist eng und schmal.
Es sieht und sieht doch nicht.
“Herr, Du bist das Licht!”

Dein Atem hat mich angerührt.
Dein Wille nahm mich warm
Am Kittel und von Dir geführt
Knie ich hin. Ganz klein und arm.

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Post Script / Christmas Wishes

Thank you all for reading, commenting, and sharing these picture postcards.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and in these dark days, and seemingly ever-darkening days, a few more words are, I think, in order.

It is not very often that the words of the Gospel (adapted from Luke 2:14) seem more appropriate than today:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

(Note that “men” here, of course, means “mankind”, God’s creation, which includes both women and men.)

Merry Christmas to you and yours, pray thanks to the Creator, and perhaps you wish to join me hoping for peace and good will towards our fellow men.