I sought him dressed in finest clothes

I sought him dressed in finest clothes. John Lamberton Bell* (1949-    ).   This hymn is entitled ‘Carol of the Epiphany’. Written in 1988, it first appeared in the collection Innkeepers and Light Sleepers: Seventeen New Songs for Christmas (Chicago: 1992). It may be seen as completing a trilogy of hymns that provide insightful socio-political commentary on the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany cycle:  Carol of the Advent (‘From a woman and a weary nation’) The Carol of the Nativity (‘A pregnant girl none will ignore’) Carol of the Epiphany (‘I sought him dressed in finest clothes’).  Bell chooses to situate the biblical narrative in the center of the political and social reality of its day...