It doesn’t get any more traditional than this.  Yesterday, I said “perhaps my all time favorite”.  I’ll say the same again today.  From Wikipedia:

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is the mid-19th Century translation by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin of the Latin text “Veni, veni, Emmanuel”. It is a metrical version of a collation of various Advent Antiphons (the acrostic O Antiphons), which now serves as a popular Advent hymn. Its origins are unclear, it is thought that the antiphons are from at least the 8th Century, but “Veni, veni Emmanuel” may well be 12th Century in origin. The text is based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us). Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.  It is believed that the traditional music stems from a 15th Century French processional for Franciscan nuns, but it may also have 8th Century Gregorian origins. It is one of the most solemn Advent hymns.

And another version that holds special meaning for me:

I was raised in a German Catholic community of about 400 residents.  For 400 residents and the surrounding countryside, there were two - yes, two Catholic churches which shared one priest.  One of the two was St. Mary’s, located in the middle of open farmland, surrounded by open views that streched for miles.  The church itself was (is) a small turn of the centry stone cathedral that looks like it was plucked out of 17th century France, complete with 20 ft tall stained glass windows, stone arches, pipe organ, and echoing with awe and mystery.  It looked and sounded very much like the second version above… only older and and with lights dim like candlelight.

My strongest memories of Christmas are of Christmas Eve mass.  Past my normal bedtime, dark, with stars shiging brightly - a bit tired, which only increased the surrealness of the setting and proceedings.  It did not matter that I was often in that building.  On that night every year, majesty and wonder was thick in the air.  The stars were brighter, the air was crisper, every noise, every action seemed amplified with heightened significance.  As we sat before mass, every rustle echoed loudly off the stone around and above us - but there were very few of those.  All were silent in the power and meaning of that night.  There was a deep, deep reverence for God in that place.  Then, from the back, a strong smell of incense as the priest and altar boys walked slowly down the aisle to the solemn chords of this hymn.  It was somehow easier to believe on that night, in that setting, with this hymn tying me to the yearning for God and Our Emmanuel - God With Us.  He was very much with us on those Christmas Eves.

I miss that reverence now.  It was an attitude that is in a different universe from the BFF image of God that is popular now.  Yes, Jesus tore the veil and opened the path to free and joyfully open communion and communication with God.  But God is still God.  The description of the heaven we will see in Revelation is much closer to the awe and majesty of the Christmas Eve mass than to any other service I’ve been to.  I’m not endorsing a return to large, non-particpatory services - in fact, I endorse the opposite - small and particapatory.  But I also endorse an awe, reverance, and yes… a healthy fear of God that is paired with our understanding of His love and grace toward us.  In tandem, that is a powerful understanding.  Knowing fear and awe without knowing grace and love is a bad place to be.  But we’re not anywhere near there in the protestant/evangelical world.  We’re in the place of embracing grace and love without a fear and awe of God.  I think that’s nearly as bad a place to be as the former extreme. 

So, I love this hymn.  Love it.  It brings tears to my eyes and floods me with memories.  It also reminds me of who my God is, and that He is worthy of my fear, reverence, and SERVITUDE.  I serve the God of that night - not the other way around.  He is worthy of any sacrifice He calls for, and I submit my freedom, wishes, and desires to be burned up and replaced with His.  Merry Christmas!  He is GOD… and is with us.