And so the fourth candle - the candle of love - in our Advent Wreath at home has been lit and we wait for the morning to light the Christ candle in the center.- it is Christmas Eve, and all is quiet as we wait for the song of the angels!!
"Alleluia! Christ is born!"
December 24th 2010
Scripture: Luke 2:6-12
Christmas Hymn for today:
“Silent Night, Holy Night”
“So it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished for her to be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Scripture: Luke 2:6-12
Christmas Hymn for today:
“Silent Night, Holy Night”
“So it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished for her to be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child,.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild;
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing, “Alleluia!”
Christ, the Savior, is born!
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.
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing, “Alleluia!”
Christ, the Savior, is born!
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.
Silent night, holy night,
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
“Alleluia!” to our King!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
“Alleluia!” to our King!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
(author: Joseph Mohr)
Meditation - “Holy Night”
It is hard to imagine a hymn/carol of the Christmas season that is more beloved than “Silent Night, Holy Night”. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if many of us already know the story that accompanies the writing of this beautiful and deeply-loved hymn. It was written on the night before Christmas in 1818 at the little village of Oberndorf Austria, by Joseph Mohr, the Vicar of the Church of St. Nicholas.
Father Joseph and his good friend Franz Gruber had often lamented the fact that “the perfect Christmas hymn” had never been written. Father Mohr had this very thing in mind when he received word that the organ in the church would not function because mice had eaten through the bellows!! He decided that he would have to start work immediately and write his own Christmas hymn if he was to have music for Christmas Eve Mass. He did not want to disappoint his faithful “flock”. When he finished the text, he took it to his friend, Franz, who, upon seeing it, exclaimed, “Friend Mohr, you have found it - the right song - God be praised!”
Father Joseph and his good friend Franz Gruber had often lamented the fact that “the perfect Christmas hymn” had never been written. Father Mohr had this very thing in mind when he received word that the organ in the church would not function because mice had eaten through the bellows!! He decided that he would have to start work immediately and write his own Christmas hymn if he was to have music for Christmas Eve Mass. He did not want to disappoint his faithful “flock”. When he finished the text, he took it to his friend, Franz, who, upon seeing it, exclaimed, “Friend Mohr, you have found it - the right song - God be praised!”
There is, as Dorothy used to say so often to her dad and me, “Drama going on here!” In this instance, the drama of the first rendition of “Silent Night, Holy Night” was augmented by the fact that the organ in the church where Mass was to be celebrated broke down during the week before Christmas!! I have BEEN an organist with the responsibilities for Christmas Eve worship, and I KNOW what kind of drama this is!!! The holes in the leather bellows were HUGE . . . these weren’t little tiny field mice . . . more like wharf rats!!
Franz Gruber, not wanting to fail his friend and pastor, brought out his guitar, and thus it happened that the first public presentation of the beloved hymn turned into a duet between the author and the composer with voice and plain guitar accompaniment. By the way, if you have never had a chance to hear and sing this song to only guitar accompaniment, you have missed something dramatically spectacular, in my opinion!!
The breaking down of the organ was instrumental in popularizing the new hymn. When the organ was being repaired some time afterward, Gruber played the new carol on it as a way of testing the tone of the repaired instrument. The repairman, according to the story, was fascinated and enchanted and requested a copy of the hymn. He took it back with him to his own village (Zillerthal, Austria) where the people received it with great joy and enthusiasm!! ( I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling this is one of those “light in the darkness” experiences in life.
Something that seemed so disastrous as a broken organ on Christmas Eve turned into something that will forever be remembered with great joy for the contribution of this beloved hymn to our Christmas hymn literature!
Father Mohr and Franz Gruber never had, in all likelihood, any idea that their hymn would EVER be heard outside of their little mountain village. Four daughters of a Zillerthal glovemaker heard the hymn in a church service following the organ repairman’s return to that city with his copy and they used this song in concerts they gave from town to town and village to village while their father sold gloves.
Soon everyone was singing “Silent Night, Holy Night” and it spread throughout the entire region. So, too, have people continued to sing it through generations up to now, and so they will sing it as long as Christmas is part of human life.
The breaking down of the organ was instrumental in popularizing the new hymn. When the organ was being repaired some time afterward, Gruber played the new carol on it as a way of testing the tone of the repaired instrument. The repairman, according to the story, was fascinated and enchanted and requested a copy of the hymn. He took it back with him to his own village (Zillerthal, Austria) where the people received it with great joy and enthusiasm!! ( I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling this is one of those “light in the darkness” experiences in life.
Something that seemed so disastrous as a broken organ on Christmas Eve turned into something that will forever be remembered with great joy for the contribution of this beloved hymn to our Christmas hymn literature!
Father Mohr and Franz Gruber never had, in all likelihood, any idea that their hymn would EVER be heard outside of their little mountain village. Four daughters of a Zillerthal glovemaker heard the hymn in a church service following the organ repairman’s return to that city with his copy and they used this song in concerts they gave from town to town and village to village while their father sold gloves.
Soon everyone was singing “Silent Night, Holy Night” and it spread throughout the entire region. So, too, have people continued to sing it through generations up to now, and so they will sing it as long as Christmas is part of human life.
“Silent Night, Holy Night” was heard in the United States for the first time in 1839 when a family of Tyrolean Singers used the music during their concert tour. It wasn’t long before it was being translated into numerous other languages, including English. There are even eight ENGLISH translations in use at this time. The one MOST in use current is the translation by John F. Young.
Today is Christmas Eve. tonight as you attend whatever services you choose, think about the beauty of snow-capped mountains and a little country church as it witnessed not only the birth of the Savior, but also the birth of one of the most beautiful imaginable of hymns about that night! Allow the words of the hymn to reverberate in your head and in your heart as you worship the newborn Babe of Bethlehem.
Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, on this silent night - this holy night - as we anticipate the joy of Christmas morning, we remember the circumstances surrounding your birth - - - the young and frightened parents to whom You came - the stable - the manger - the animals - the shepherds - all of it. We remember, and we kneel in awe before You praising God for His Gift to us - thanking God that He so loves us that He gave us “YOU”, and that you were willing to leave the throne and glory of heaven to come to earth to redeem us. Welcome! - to our hearts and lives - to the earth again. We rejoice at Your presence in our lives! Amen ~
Activity ~ Attend a Christmas Eve Communion Service with your family.
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