Christmas Eve has us thinking of perhaps the most-loved Christmas carol- Silent Night. The following is taken from my book "Advent- A Season of Songs" (available on Kindle).
Darkness falls on Oberndorf Austria on December 24, 1818. The parish choir master, Franz Gruber, has spent the afternoon setting a poem, written by his friend, Joseph Mohr, to a tune which will be played on guitar that evening due to the untimely breakdown of the church organ. It is Christmas Eve and soon the parishioners will gather in the chapel to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Candles will fill the chapel with a warm glow and voices will sing for the first time a tune that will become the most famous Christmas hymn of all time. The darkness may fall as the night wears on, but it will not overcome the light in the sanctuary.
A single candle produces one unit of light. At one time the intensity of light was measured by this tiny beam. But one single beam of light can brighten the darkest of corners in an otherwise dreary room. Darkness may seem cold, but light is a welcome without words. The parishioners of St. Nicholas Church may not have been aware of the choir master’s predicament when the organ broke that fateful day. Nor did they know of the inspired toil that took place that afternoon as Joseph Mohr’s poem was turned into music. But they were blessed that evening twofold as the choir master lifted his voice in song and they rejoiced in the birth of their Savior. Light filled the little church as the notes rang out and the voices joined in together, “Silent night, holy night...”
In the winter months, days shorten and darkness descends at an earlier time yet stars shine above and, below a thousand sparkling dots twinkle on the snowy landscape. Together they sing. They rejoice. They reflect the moment when the Creator said, “Let there be light.” The lights of Hanukkah and Christmas also shine into the crisp night. Together they sing. They rejoice. For when the world was lost in darkness, the Lord sent forth His Light, born of a woman, to enlighten all people. His Light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overpower it.
Some of my favorite Christmas memories circle around this hymn. Our church would hold two Christmas Eve services. The earlier service was always designed with children in mind. Favorite Christmas carols which were geared toward children, like Away in a Manger, were sung and a short homily which was based on the Christmas story was given. But the later service which began at 11 p.m. was filled with more reverence and anticipation. That service always concluded with the lighting of candles while we sang Silent Night. At midnight when the candles were lit and the Christ candle was burning in the center of the Advent wreath, the pastor would proclaim the Good News that Christ was born and we would lift up our candles and sing Joy to the World. It always, without fail, brought tears to my eyes, for the sight of all those candles lifted up, and the vibrant sound of our pipe organ filling the sanctuary was so beautiful it filled me with an overwhelming joy.
Yet, I must confess, the thought of a small parish church with a lone guitar softly playing and lit with a cluster of candles, seems more like that first Christmas where a Baby was laid in a simple trough while His young mother hummed a lullaby and His father tended to their needs. In the most humble of all conditions, Jesus put aside His Glory, and took the form of the neediest of all humans, a baby. Although the memories of those Christmases of long ago fill my heart with a longing to return, the carols continue to set my focus on the most amazing and loving act in all of history; the night when the darkness of a fallen world was pierced by the Light of the World:
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light,
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth; Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.
Have a blessed Christmas everyone!
If you're interested...
https://www.amazon.com/Advent-Ann-H-LeFevre-Div-ebook/dp/B07KNC4FVD/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1545704789&sr=8-4&keywords=Advent+A+Season+of+Songs+Kindle
@jeanniec57 How old is your grandson? These are tiny and definitely not meant for young children. I'd say 5 and up but they're very easy to lose as my 10 year old granddaughter proved when I gave one to her a few years ago. The first set that I got was a gift. I've found others on Amazon. Thanks Jeannie and thanks for the fav!
@lyndamcg @joansmor @gilbertwood @kjarn @henrir @daisymiller @salza @vesna0210 @grammyn @wendyfrost
Thank you Lynda, Joan, Denise, Kathy, Henri, Daisy, Sally, Vesna, Katy, and Wendy!
Merry Christmas to one and all!
@jeanniec57 I think they were under erasers and toys. LOL my little trademarks!