Look Towards Him And Be Radiant With Joy
Poetic Reflection based on Colossians 1:15-20 and Psalm 34:6
By Maximilian P. Buonocore, OSB
Through the eyes of faith, I look at the child in the manger and I see, the one who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Through the eyes of hope, I gaze at the infant in swaddling clothes, and I behold, the one in whom were created all things in heaven and on earth. Through the eyes of love, I look upon the babe that the Blessed Mother holds at her breast, and I see, the one who is before all things, and in whom all things hold together. By the light of faith, I see in that newborn, the one who is the head of the body, the church. By the power of hope, I behold in that little one lying in a manger, the one who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. And by the power of love, I come and bow down at that manger altar, and I worship that infant, in whom all the fullness of deity is pleased to dwell, and through whom the Father is to reconcile all things for himself, making peace by the blood of his cross.
For the child born today is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
Look into his eyes and see the light
The light of a Father’s gaze so bright
Who looks down to earth from heav’nly height.
Infinite and eternal is his gaze of love.
The generating light that begets a Son above
Who in turn generates with the Spirit a Dove
Generates us children as thanksgiving gifts
To the Father in heav’n whose wisdom lifts
Each one of us heav’nward upon the Swifts.
This infant in the manger a heav’n descent
In bodily form a divine advent
To regenerate man by God’s assent.
For the child born today is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look upon him, and be radiant with joy.
I followed the star to that manger bed
By the guiding light of wisdom led
I fall prostrate before like one who’s dead.
How could this be: A birth? A death?
A dying that yields the Spirit’s breath:
Death gives life, a child divine breath?
In an infant I found a love so great
Love surpassing life in this earthly state
Yes, dead am I before love so great.
I carry this death within my soul
A death, a longing with an endless goal
Unfathomably drawn to a celestial pole.
For the child in that manger is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
A royal son, anointed by chrism of myst’ry
An heir of humanity, a birth of divinity
Reborn in this birth, I find a vict’ry.
Look into the eyes of this babe agaze
Look into the eyes of heav’n ablaze
Look into the eyes of endless days.
A child is born the Angels sing
Glory in the highest with outstretched wing
Glad tidings to humankind they bring.
For the child in that manger is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
Look into his eyes and see the light
The light of a Father’s gaze so bright
Who looks down to earth from heav’nly height.
Infinite and eternal is his gaze of love.
The generating light that begets a Son above
Who in turn generates with the Spirit a Dove
Generates us children as thanksgiving gifts
To the Father in heav’n whose wisdom lifts
Each one of us heav’nward upon the Swifts.
This infant in the manger a heav’n descent
In bodily form a divine advent
To regenerate man by God’s assent.
For the child born today is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look upon him, and be radiant with joy.
I followed the star to that manger bed
By the guiding light of wisdom led
I fall prostrate before like one who’s dead.
How could this be: A birth? A death?
A dying that yields the Spirit’s breath:
Death gives life, a child divine breath?
In an infant I found a love so great
Love surpassing life in this earthly state
Yes, dead am I before love so great.
I carry this death within my soul
A death, a longing with an endless goal
Unfathomably drawn to a celestial pole.
For the child in that manger is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
A royal son, anointed by chrism of myst’ry
An heir of humanity, a birth of divinity
Reborn in this birth, I find a vict’ry.
Look into the eyes of this babe agaze
Look into the eyes of heav’n ablaze
Look into the eyes of endless days.
A child is born the Angels sing
Glory in the highest with outstretched wing
Glad tidings to humankind they bring.
For the child in that manger is the bearer of joy.
He is born from eternal love, this little boy.
Look towards him, and be radiant with joy.
All for Jesus,
Fr. Max
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