63. The Holy Family

Praise, praise to Jesus, Joseph, Mary,
The Three on earth most like the Three in
heaven!
Praise, praise to Jesus, Joseph, IVIary,
To whom these Heavenly Likenesses were given 1
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving,
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me,
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Mid Nazareth's sequestered mountains
How lovely was the Household of the Three,
And by the desert's crystal fountains
What secret wonders did not angels see!
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving,
Come, youn<i; and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me,
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Then by the dark Egyptian river^
Joseph, the Mother, and the marvellous Child,
Heard the chill night-wind softly quiver
In the tall palms or o'er the sandfields wild.
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving,
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me.
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Bweet Family! swift years are speeding;
Thrice ten have passed o'er Nazareth's secret
home:
Poor, weary world! it lies all bleeding:
Why should it wait? Why should not Jesus
come?
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving,
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving.
Praise, praise with me,
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Sweet Family! thy charms detain Him;
Thou savest Him from an untimely woe:
Fronr men that would too soon have slain Him
He hides in thee, God's Paradise below!
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving,
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me,
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

O House of Nazareth! Earth's Pleaven!
Our households now are hallowed all by thee;
All blessings come, all gifts are given.
Because of thy dear Earthly Trinity;
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving.
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me.
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Sing to the Three with jubilation!
Husbands and wives, parents and children sing!
Siiiii; to the House, from which salvation
Flows o'er your homes as from a hidden spring!
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving.
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me.
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!

Now praise, oh praise the sinless jNIotlier,
Praise to that Household's gentle ]\Iaster be;
And, with the Child whom we call Brother,
Weep, weep for joy of that dear Family!
Come, Christians, come, sweet anthems weaving.
Come, young and old, come, gay or grieving,
Praise, praise with me.
Adoring and believing,
God's Family, God's Holy Family!