Choosing carols for the Community Cafe was easy. Traditional, no unexpected alterations to well known words. No need for novelty or clever demythologising of such obvious eyebrow raisers as "Little Lord Jesus no crying he makes."
'Away in a manger' survives as an Advent and Nativity hit song not because of its theological precision, or historical verisimilitude. But because it evokes memories, provokes emotion, plugs in to those deep places of longing in danger of being disconnected by a culture that thinks such an inner ache should be erased by retail therapy. Advent validates aching hearts and hope long awaited.
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