Good Christian Men, Rejoice!

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Nearly seven hundred years ago, a Dominican friar named Henry Suso had a vision of angels singing and dancing with joy about the birth of the Infant Jesus. The German preacher and mystic poet was soon swept up by the angelic song, and penned the Christmas hymn In Dulci Jubilo as a result. In the loose translation familiar to many today, we sing,

Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!

Watch the video of the friars of the Dominican House of Studies as they continue this tradition of celebrating Christmas with a new album, Christ Was Born to Save, (digital and physical copies available for purchase) proceeds from which will support the Dominican students in Washington, D.C. The album features such timeless favorites as Away in a Manger, O Come, All Ye Faithful, and Silent Night, along with many other beautiful carols, chants, and choral works. All the music on this album flows from our prayerful contemplation of this great mystery: that God became man to save us from ourselves, and make us more like him.

Christ was born to save. This is what caused the angels to sing and dance in Blessed Henry’s vision, and is the true source of Christmas joy. God fulfilled his promise to restore creation to friendship with him through his Chosen People. Once again, God proved faithful to a mistrustful humanity, and confounded their doubts and expectations in the most extraordinary ways. The Lord of Hosts, robed in majesty, became a lowly child, bundled in swaddling clothes. And why? That, as he shares our humanity, we may share in his divinity, by becoming adopted sons and daughters of God.

Christ was born for this. The crib points to the Cross, and to the Resurrection still further. God has truly become man, and it means that we may share in his victory over sin and death. The sacred songs and chants of Christmas recorded by our schola in the resonant acoustic of Washington’s Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land recount this tremendous mystery. “Rejoice, rejoice!” we hear in the carol Gaudete, “with nature marveling, the world has been renewed by Christ who is reigning. The closed gate of Ezekiel is passed through.” Likewise, in the beloved Marian hymn Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming, we praise the “True man, yet very God, from sin and death he saves us, and lightens every load.” The heavenly choirs announce in Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, that Christ was “Born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth!”

Christ was born to save. And so we cannot help but rejoice at “the dawn of redeeming grace,” (Silent Night), as we beseech this Child, “Born to die upon the Tree…to assoil [absolve] and save us all,” (Blessed Be That Maid Mary). “Be near me, Lord Jesus,” we pray in Away in a Manger, “And fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.” For “Though an infant now we view him, he shall fill his Father’s throne, gather all the nations to him; every knee shall then bow down,” (Angels from the Realms of Glory).

Christ was born for this: that we should trust once more in God’s faithfulness, and “gain his everlasting hall.” This Christmas, may God lead us all to “rejoice with heart and soul and voice” in so great a Savior.

[lamplight]

Good Christian men rejoice
And make a bunch of noise
Baby Jesus is in town
And buying every one a round

[metanoia]

Unspeakably beautiful to see and hear these holy Friars and Brothers raising their voices in praise of Our Lord, Jesus Christ who became incarnate in order to redeem us.

[christopherjacob]

Well ...the existence of angels is not a myth ....its true....feels like heaven listening to them....Amen..Amen..

[markanthonyninoquinto]

peaceful
i love being a catholic
and most important JESUS OUR GOD

[jamesraja]

You made me sing with joy in tears! What a devotion! Love u all. God bless.

[kitkatchunky]

"Pretty good" - understatement of the year!

[LoganAllec]

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today!
Ox and ass before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today,
Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath op'ed the heavenly door,
And man is blessed forevermore.
Christ was born for this,
Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voice!
Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save,
Christ was born to save!

[irisadams]

Beautiful blessings my prayer and heart's desire is to sing as I when I was younger and covid came but God is good all the time Amen 🙏

[TruthSeeker]

Thank you so much for posting this lovely rendition of one of my favorite hymns. I'll return to listen to this regularly.

[sifinafa]

Gorgeous!!! Amazing! Thanks for sharing such amazing talent!

[davidmutch]

With grateful thanks, and Christmas wishes to all at the Dominican House of Studies

[jodyramsay]

Such a beautiful performance. Thank you, and God bless one and all.

[AFreshmanPerspective]

Excellent performance and I admire the quality of recording too. Well done.

[frielspirit]

excellent rendition of this wonderful carol

[Mimse]

Beautiful! Let's have more of this! Go for it!! ;)

[wdavidastor]

A deep bow to you from this Buddhist monk.

[moishglukovsky]

What church is this? Quite a beautiful one!

[samiramarley]

I would love to hear this musical arrangement set to the original text of In Dulci Jubilo.

[amandacordeiroblog]

Quem mais está aqui depois de ter assistido "A Primeira Arte" do canal Brasil Paralelo? 😍😍😍

[michaeltoney]

The Portland Gay Men’s Chorus is doing this for our Holiday concert and it is vital to NOT sing with our wide American accents.

It’s funny that we must sing with an English accent but to us that sounds pretentious.

Like pretending to be rich.