January 2: The Bridegroom | Husband
♫ Music:
Day 34 - Friday, January 02
Title: The Bridegroom | Husband
Scripture #1: Isaiah 54:5–7 (NKJV)
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,” says your God. “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you.”
Scripture #2: Matthew 9:14–15 (NKJV)
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Scripture #3: John 3:29–31 (NKJV)
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.”
Poetry & Poet:
“Wedding Poem”
by Ross Gay
for Keith and Jen
Friends I am here to modestly report
seeing in an orchard
in my town
a goldfinch kissing
a sunflower
again and again
dangling upside down
by its tiny claws
steadying itself by snapping open
like an old-timey fan
its wings
again and again,
until, swooning, it tumbled off
and swooped back to the very same perch,
where the sunflower curled its giant
swirling of seeds
around the bird and leaned back
to admire the soft wind
nudging the bird's plumage,
and friends I could see
the points on the flower's stately crown
soften and curl inward
as it almost indiscernibly lifted
the food of its body
to the bird's nuzzling mouth
whose fervor
I could hear from
oh 20 or 30 feet away
and see from the tiny hulls
that sailed from their
good racket,
which good racket, I have to say
was making me blush,
and rock up on my tippy-toes,
and just barely purse my lips
with what I realize now
was being, simply, glad,
which such love,
if we let it,
makes us feel.
The Bridegroom
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.
–– CS Lewis, The Four Loves
This vulnerability of love, so keenly observed by Lewis, is something that may pull and strain at the heart as we near the end of the Advent season and make the sometimes-melancholic journey away from the holidays. January 2nd may be a day we feel pangs of the heart as family departs, as the Christmas season fades, as we return to normalcy. The entanglements of loving and being loved leave us with a complex web of emotions. A related set of feelings is expressed in the imagery of Christ as the Bridegroom: joy, excitement, fulfillment, but also longing.
It is the poised expectancy of a bride who has already been betrothed, her heart oriented toward the arrival of her beloved. This divine romance is manifest in Isaiah’s tender assurance: “Your Maker is your husband.” From the beginning, God’s covenant with His people has been rooted in love: holy, steadfast, and deeply personal. He is not a distant deity but a faithful Bridegroom who has pledged Himself to His bride.
In Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus calls Himself the Bridegroom, He reveals that the divine promise spoken through the prophets has taken on flesh and dwelt among us. His presence among the people meant joy—so much so that He told John’s disciples that mourning and fasting would not fit while the Bridegroom was with them. Yet even as He spoke, a shadow lingered: the day would come when the Bridegroom would be taken away. That absence points us back to our own longing in Advent—the ache of waiting for what we know to be true yet have not fully seen.
John the Baptist captured that longing perfectly. Standing in his role as the “friend of the Bridegroom,” he rejoiced not in himself but in hearing the Bridegroom’s voice. His joy was complete even as he stepped aside, saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This humility mirrors the posture of Advent: the soul that prepares room for Christ by decreasing in self. The more we turn down the noise of distraction and self-importance, the more clearly, we can hear His steady, loving call.
The Church, too, stands like a waiting bride. Between the first coming of Christ and His promised return, she lives in the tension of yearning and assurance. Our worship, our fasting, our celebration—all are expressions of desire for reunion, and every Advent candle we light is a small flame of fidelity and hope. Like a lamp burning in the night, it declares our commitment: “We are ready when You come.”
In Rose Datoc Dall’s Oil Study of Christ, the circular canvas captures both movement and completeness—the sense that time and eternity meet in Him. The Bridegroom draws near not just in the grand consummation of history, but also in the quiet moments of devotion, mercy, and love that shape our days.
To wait for the Bridegroom, then, is not passive. It is active love—tending, listening, preparing, and allowing desire for Christ to become the thread that draws every part of life together in holiness. Advent invites us into that sacred anticipation, where longing itself becomes communion. And when the Bridegroom finally calls, we will rise not as strangers, but as the beloved, ready for the eternal feast prepared since the beginning.
Prayer
Beloved Bridegroom, awaken in us the holy longing of Your bride. Teach us to wait not with weariness, but with wonder. Quiet our restless hearts, that we may hear Your voice and answer with joy. Cleanse us of distraction and pride so that our lives may reflect the beauty of Your love. In every candle we light, let us see a sign of Your promise; in every act of mercy, let us feel Your nearness. As Advent nears its end, prepare our spirits to receive You anew, that when You come, You may find us ready—clothed in faith, adorned in hope, and radiant with love.
Amen.
Luke Aleckson, M.F.A.
Professor, Department of Art
Executive Director, Center for Christianity, Culture & the Arts
Biola University
About the Art:
Oil Study of Christ
Rose Datoc Dall
Oil on canvas
Round 10 in.
Used with permission of the artist
With sensitivity and bold use of color and form, contemporary artist Rose Datoc Dall paints an extraordinarily intimate portrait of our Lord. Her striking, bold, and expressive style captures faith, devotion, and the beauty of spiritual moments. Having studied so many great masters of symbolism, illustration, and oil painting, it is no wonder Rose’s artwork has such detail and expressive narrative, telling the story of salvation by conveying deep human emotion and compassion. She has said of her work, “My images are personal commentaries on sacred themes and are always about human connection with the divine. My images are full of metaphors and symbolism and I describe my work as ‘sacred imagery reimagined’. I always try to offer a fresh and contemporary interpretation to all my religious themed work.”
About the Artist:
Filipina-American artist Rose Datoc Dall was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in northern Virginia. She received her B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in 1990. Mrs. Dall works predominantly as a contemporary figurative painter. Her figurative work is distinctive for her graphic compositions, unconventional use of color, and her linear graphic sensibility. She is also known for her body of religious artwork in addition to her figurative work. Mrs. Dall has received several awards and honors for her work and several of her works are a part of permanent collections in public and private institutions. Rose’s art has appeared on book covers, in books, and is featured in several publications online and in print. Currently, in addition to exhibiting, Mrs. Dall enjoys teaching private figure drawing and painting workshops and lectures on occasion as a way of giving back to her community.
https://www.rosedatocdall.com/about
About the Music #1: “As the Bridegroom to His Chosen” from the album Be Thou My Vision
Lyrics #1:
As the bridegroom to his chosen,
As the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle,
As the pilot to the helm,
As the captain to his soldiers,
As the shepherd to his lambs,
So, Lord, art Thou to me.
As the fountain in the garden,
As the candle in the dark,
As the treasure in the coffer,
As the manna in the ark,
As the firelight in the winter,
As the sunlight in the spring,
So, Lord, art Thou to me.
As the music at the banquet,
As the stamp unto the seal,
As refreshment to the fainting,
As the wine-cup at the meal,
As the singing on the feast-day,
As the amen to the prayer,
So, Lord, art Thou to me.
As the ruby in the setting,
As the honey in the comb,
As the light within the lantern,
As the father in the home,
As the eagle in the mountains,
As the sparrow in the nest,
So, Lord, art Thou to me.
As the sunshine in the heavens,
As the image in the glass,
As the fruit unto the fig-tree,
As the dew unto the grass,
As the rainbow on the hilltop,
As the river in the plain,
So, Lord, art Thou to me
So, Lord, art Thou to me
About the Composers #1: Music by John Rutter, Lyrics by John Tauler
John Tauler (1300–61), tr. E.F. Bevan (1827–1909; lines 5 and 6 of each stanza added, John Rutter
John Rutter(b. 1945) is an English composer, conductor, editor, arranger, and record producer, mainly of choral music. He studied music at Clare College, Cambridge. He first came to notice as a composer during his student years, with much of his early work consisting of church music and other choral pieces, including Christmas carols. In 1981, Rutter founded his own choir, the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts and with which he has made many recordings of sacred choral repertoire, particularly under his own label, Collegium Records. From 1975 to 1979, he was the director of music at his alma mater, Clare College, and has directed the college chapel choir in various recordings and broadcasts. Since 1979, he has divided his time between composition and conducting. Today his compositions, including such concert-length works as Requiem, Magnificat, Mass of the Children, The Gift of Life, and Visions, are performed around the world. His music has been featured in a number of British royal occasions, including the two most recent royal weddings. Rutter's music is very popular, particularly in the US. In the UK, many hold him in high regard, as illustrated by the following quotation from a review in the London Evening Standard (2005): "For the infectiousness of his melodic invention and consummate craftsmanship, Rutter has few peers.” British broadcaster Sue Lawley referred to Rutter as "the most celebrated and successful composer of carols alive today" and Irish broadcaster Sean Rafferty heralded Rutter as "a creator of not just carols, but wonderfully great things for the human voice.”
https://johnrutter.com/
Johannes Tauler, OP (1300–1361) was a German mystic, a Catholic priest, and a theologian. A disciple of German Catholic priest Meister Eckhart, he belonged to the Dominican order. Tauler was known as one of the most important Rhineland mystics. He promoted a certain Neoplatonist dimension in the Dominican spirituality of his time. He is credited with composing the words of the Advent song “Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen.” The oldest existing text source is a manuscript dated before 1450, found in the Strasbourg Dominican convent of St. Nicolaus in undis, which Tauler was known to have visited frequently.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Tauler
About the Performers #1: Cambridge Singers and the Orchestra City of London Sinfonia
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed-voice chamber choir, formed in 1981 by their director John Rutter for the express purpose of making recordings. The nucleus of the group was originally provided by former members of the chapel choir of Clare College, Cambridge, where John Rutter was director of music from 1975 to 1979, and was later supplemented by former members of other collegiate choirs. The Cambridge Singers have been involved in the last four Fresh Aire albums of the Mannheim Steamroller band, by composer Chip Davis, but they are primarily a classical choral group. The ensemble has recorded several highly acclaimed Christmas albums, including Christmas Day in the Morning, Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity, Christmas Star, Christmas with the Cambridge Singers, and The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Singers
https://www.singers.com/group/Cambridge-Singers/
City of London Sinfonia (CLS) is an English chamber orchestra based in London. CLS is orchestra-in-residence at Opera Holland Park since 2004 and holds a residency at St Paul's Cathedral. CLS also performs regularly across the city of London in venues from East London clubs to traditional Central London concert halls. It is a registered charity under English law. The City of London Sinfonia performs chamber orchestra and ensemble repertoire from the baroque period to the present day, and has a programming focus on the human voice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_London_Sinfonia
https://cityoflondonsinfonia.co.uk/
About the Music #2: “My Beloved” from the album Casa del Rey Chapel Sessions
How beautiful is Your Love.
You're the one my heart burns for
Like fire shut up in my bones,
Is all my desire for You oh Lord.
I know I was made for You.
I was made to worship You.
So let this heart throw open it's gates.
Letting out rivers of praise.
All of my love, all my affection is for You.
All glory, honor and fame, be unto You the ancient of days
All of my love, all my affection is for You.
Oh my beloved.
Take me to Your secret place.
Just You and I, let's get away.
Show me the deepest part of who You are,
I want to know You, I’m after Your heart.
I know I was made for You.
I was made to worship You.
So let this heart throw open it gates.
Letting out rivers of praise.
All of my love, all my affection is for You.
All glory, honor and fame, be unto You,
Yahweh
All of my love, all my affection is for You.
Oh, my beloved.
Oh, my beloved.
You captivate me, captivate me.
With one look of Your eyes.
With one look of Your eyes.
You're Beautiful, You're beautiful.
Oh, how I love You, Oh, how I love You.
You captivate me, captivate me.
With one look of Your eyes.
With one look of Your eyes.
You're Beautiful, You're beautiful.
Oh, how I love You, Oh, how I love You.
You captivate me, captivate me.
With one look of Your eyes.
With one look of Your eyes.
You're Beautiful, You're beautiful.
Oh, how I love You, Oh, how I love You.
About the Composer/Performer #2:
Christin Howell is a Christian singer-songwriter associated with Heights Worship, a collaboration of worship pastors, songwriters, and artists from all campuses of the Heights Churches in North Texas. Periodically, they come together to release their contemporary worship sound with a refreshing Southern edge. The Heights Worship’s songs are birthed out of times of intimacy with God and are powerful expressions of praise for every generation.
https://theheightsworship.org/
About the Poetry & Poet:
Ross Gay (b. 1974) is an American poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University who won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude. Gay received his B.A. from Lafayette College, his M.F.A. in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and his Ph.D. in American Literature from Temple University. His poems have appeared in literary journals and magazines including The American Poetry Review; Harvard Review; Columbia: A Journal of Poetry; Art, Margie: The American Journal of Poetry; and Atlanta Review. His poetry has also appeared in anthologies, including From the Fishouse (2009). His honors include being a Cave Canem Workshop Fellow and a Bread Loaf Writers' Conference Tuition Scholar, and he received a grant from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Gay
About the Devotion Author:
Luke Aleckson, M.F.A.
Professor, Department of Art
Executive Director, Center for Christianity, Culture & the Arts
Biola University
Luke Aleckson is an assistant professor of art at Biola University and is currently the executive director of the CCCA. He received his M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in sculpture and a B.S. in art from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, Minnesota. Past positions have included serving as department chair and professor of art and design at the University of Northwestern and the director of Denler Gallery in St. Paul. Past exhibitions of his artwork have been held nationally, at venues such as the Chicago Cultural Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and the Suburban in Oak Park, Illinois. He maintains an active art practice in which he explores sculpture, digital modeling, video art, and installation art.