Silent Night

Silent Night

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, 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! 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, Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. 

Joseph Mohr wrote this song in 1818 and it was to be introduced in a Christmas Eve service, but a malfunction in the church's organ led Mohr to suggest that organist Franz Gruber arrange the music for guitar and voice. Without the quick arrangement of the music, perhaps it really would have been silent that night. 

The words of the song suggest that Bethlehem was a quiet place, however even that can be argued. With the influx of citizens returning for the census, filling every available sleeping place, I can imagine there were noises being heard all over town.  Researchers advise us that while there may have been noisy happenings going on in Bethlehem, these were moments of peace when even nature hushed for the birth of the God-Child. 

Like many of the carols we have studied this month, there is strong reflection, not only on the birth of the baby, but especially on the Incarnation. God himself has come to earth in the form a baby. God is using this event to actually dwell among humans. For the Romans, who insisted in keeping order among the people, the happenings of the birth and life of Jesus were a challenge. For the keepers of the law, whether high ranking priests or local officials, this Jesus just did not measure up to their way of thinking. His dealings with people on the basis of love and forgiveness were contrary to the punishment of all evil, as prescribed by their law and tradition. 

There are a couple of lines in this carol which I want to emphasize to you. First, the line of the second verse which says, "Glories stream from heaven afar."  Certainly heaven's glories were released on earth that night when Jesus was born. I want you to see that glories still stream from heaven as you and I learn to love as He loves, and forgive as He forgives. 

Second is the line from the third verse, "Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace."  If there were one central purpose of Jesus coming, it was to reveal God's grace to us. In a world where we still feel we have to earn salvation, Jesus comes to show us he will take our punishment and we can live in the forgiveness of God's love.  

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