Agnus Dei

O Bethlehem, of olden days,
where temple lambs were born and raised;
could these unblemished sheep have grazed
in fields where David played?

Where shepherds, with their pastured flocks,
try keeping them from jutting rocks;
protecting them from wolves and hawks — 
or bear like David slayed.

Once born, selected from the rest — 
whose coats and features were the best;
the lambs were swaddled tightly, lest
an injury caused scars.

These year-old lambs from Bethlehem
​on altars in Jerusalem;
the blood of every one of them
was spilled instead of ours.
​
​​Behold, God's plan was unconcealed
to awe-struck shepherds in the field:
the promised Lamb of God revealed
and in the manger lay.

This swaddled babe was born divine —
for he'd change water into wine
and raise the dead and heal the blind
and save the world one day.

Those sacrificial laws are done!
The final sacrifice has come;
the Lamb of God — his only son
was born for you and I.

From Nazareth to Galilee,
from manger to Gethsemane,
from Bethlehem to Calvary —
this Lamb was born to die.
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said,
Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29