# A Melody of Hope: Reflections on the Key of David
*2008-12-18*

> Bill Young reflects on Rev. James Field’s pamphlet “A Melody of Hope,” focusing on the “Key of David” prayer and the Advent call to open our hearts to Christ’s coming.

## Opening Prayer

I begin with a prayer my aunt, Sister Mary Teresa, gave me many years ago:

“Hail and blessed be the hour in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, O God, hear my prayers and grant my desires for the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.”

## A Personal Memory

Rev. James Field writes that today is his mother’s birthday. He recalls a childhood tradition: after cake, his father would drive the family to a nearby city with a light‑bulb factory that had been built by French‑Canadian immigrants in the 1920s. The factory’s workers received discounted bulbs, and at night the whole enclave glowed like a constellation. The scene reminded him of the single candle in the window of the old Yankee seaport where he grew up—humble, yet full of hope.

## The Key of David and the Incarnation

Field reminds us that the incarnation, which we celebrate in the latter part of Advent, is the “door sprung open by the overwhelming love of God.” He quotes the prophet: “When He opens, no one will shut; when He shuts, no one will open.” This image calls us to keep our hearts open to Christ, especially amid the commercial rush of the season.

We often grumble about crowded malls and rising prices, yet our desire to give abundantly reflects that we are made in the image of a God who cannot contain His love for us. The true test of that love is how we respond to those in need, especially the poor and the crisis‑stricken.

## Opening Our Doors to Christ

Advent invites us to make our homes a welcoming place for the coming King. We can do this by placing a wreath, greenery, an image of the Holy Family, or a simple candle on our doors. Such symbols remind us that the “door of our hearts” must be open, offering shelter to anyone who comes.

## The Prayer of the Key of David

The pamphlet concludes with the prayer that gives the episode its title:

“O Key of David, unlock my heart to Christ’s coming.”

*Advent calls us to open the doors of our hearts, just as the Key of David opens the way for Christ to enter.*