Honor the Season of Advent: 5 Days of Lessons and CarolsЗагвар

Read aloud Isaiah 11: 1-3a, 4a, 6-9

Dwell on the words of “The Friendly Beasts,” an often overlooked, wonderful song about the nativity from the perspective of the animals who were there when Jesus was born. “The Friendly Beasts,” or Orentis partibus originated in France for a festival to honor the donkey that helped the Holy Family flee to Egypt as Herod tried to have them killed.

Jesus our brother, strong and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus, our brother, strong and good.

Contemplate together: List together all the animals in the reading from Isaiah as well as the song “The Friendly Beasts.” Tell stories from your own life about how you have connected with animals that you’ve listed. Have you ever thought about the role of animals in Isaiah as well as in the nativity story? What is a peaceable kingdom, and how does Jesus of Nazareth seek to bring peace to a weary world?