Come to Bethlehem / O what a Mystery O what Humanity

This Christmas hymn was written by Australian Roman Catholic (Franciscan Missionary of Mary) religious sister, Irene O'Connor FMM (ref).   

It was written in the 1960s while she was working as a teacher in Singapore.    It was included on a two-song 7 inch EP, released under the His Master's Voice label in Australia in 1973 (ref).   The other song is Message of the Bells.  The B-side contained an instrumental version of two songs from the A-side.

If you have any information about uses of this song, or where to find sheet-music, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of this page. 

Examples

No on-line examples have been found, if you know where to locate one, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Lyrics

1   Come to Bethlehem with me

The little new-born king to see,

For he who lies amid the straw

Is God whom all adore.

Chorus:
O what a mystery!  O what humanity!

The Word made flesh, the Lord of all

Almighty become so small.

Come every king adore him,

Come every angel sing,

May all the world and heaven too,

Bow down before our King.

2  Now quietly tip-top to the cave

Too see the gift the Father gave, 

And at his little feet we'll lay

True love, this Christmas day.

3  Then gaze into his smiling eyes,

and as you do you'll realise

He came from heaven that you may know

How much he loves you so.

See more ...

• Christmas hymns
• Hymns from Australia

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY
Chorus:
Can you hear the Christmas Bells are ringing,
Do you understand what they would say?
Open up your heart and hear their message:
Christmas is a very special day.

1 Is it just a day
When the children laugh and play
With the toys that Santa gave them for their fun?
Is it just a feast
With some special things to eat
A holiday to frolic in the sun?

2 Why is it we send
Gifts and cards to special friends
Wishing them the peace and joy of Christmas-tide?
Is it just a time
When we celebrate with wine
With parties and dances late at night?

3 What does Christmas mean,
Is it just a simple scene,
Of a gentle Maiden with her newborn Babe?
Christmas is much more
For the rich man and the poor
GOD GIVES HIS SON TO US ALL.

Spoken interlude instead of the chorus:
Yes God so loved that he sent us his only Son
The light of the world,
So that those who believe in him will be no longer in darkness
And those who follow him will have eternal life.

So today when Christmas bells are ringing
Listen to their message as they say:
God so loves the world that the has sent us
Jesus who was born anew today.

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