December 10
Day 14
Listen to: “Angels We have Heard on High”
Excelsis…not a word we use every day, especially since it is not an English word! This is a favorite and pretty well-known Christmas hymn…but have you ever pondered the words of the chorus? Gloria is easy – glory, and Deo – God. But excelsis…that is not as easy to just figure out in context, so I looked it up. Excelsis, a Latin word, means in the highest degree. The tone of this song does make you feel like you are singing and praising at the highest degree about the highest God.
Sometimes Advent can feel like life is turned up to the highest degree of things to do, but remember excelsis. The real reason for the season…so when the tension builds, sing to the highest degree praise to the highest God for the gift of Jesus the Christ.
Activity for Kids: Sing this song together to the Highest degree to the Highest God!
1 Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains, and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain: Gloria in excelsis Deo, gloria in excelsis Deo.
2 Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heav'nly song? [Refrain]
3 Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King. [Refrain]