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O Come All Ye Faithful

This Christmas when you sing the hymn O Come All Ye Faithful, please notice that by the time you have completed the third verse you will have sung Come thirteen times. You are invited as one of the faithful to come to Him and rejoice.

It is generally agreed that John Francis Wade composed the lyrics and the tune to this beautiful hymn possibly around 1743. He published it for the first time in 1751. It became popular in England and is now a world-wide favorite. 

John Francis Wade was born in 1711 and grew to maturity as a faithful Catholic in England. Then in 1745 when the Jacobite Rebellion in England was crushed, Catholics became the target of intense persecution. 

John Francis Wade with many others fled to Douay, France where he lived out his days as a penman, copyist, and illuminator of sacred music and chants. He passed away 16 August 1786, still in France. 

It is worthy of note that this man who invited all the faithful to come to Bethlehem was told by his countryman to go because of his faith. ‘We don’t want you!’

That is not now or then, the Lord’s way. The invitation is still there and though less and less people are responding, the Lord’s welcoming arms of mercy are still wide open to all. 

Oh, come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/music/library/hymns/oh-come-all-ye-faithful?lang=eng

https://hymnary.org/text/o_come_all_ye_faithful_joyful_and_triump

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_All_Ye_Faithful

Copyright Glenn Rawson 2022