𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝟻 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳: 𝘈𝘯 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘏𝘺𝘮𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮 . . .

We filed out of our seats to circle the gymnasium turned auditorium.  Our little family was experiencing a beautiful new tradition for the first time – the tender closing of an AWANA Christmas program!

Students, teachers, and families, formed a large circle, shoulder to shoulder.  A hush fell over the room as we passed the tiny torch from handheld candles and sang, acapella, the timeless words of “Silent Night.”  Without direction, simply heartfelt expression, the music unfolded slowly, thoughtfully, with beautiful harmony.  

For me, as a busy mom struggling to find firm footing in a new town, it was a moment of striking calm and clarity, welcoming us into the Christmas season.  Time seemed to stand still as we considered the wonder of our Savior’s birth.

.  .  .

Written by a young priest in Austria, who asked a choir director in a neighboring town to compose the music, “Silent Night” was intended to bring calm in the chaos of recovery from Napoleonic wars in 1818.  

After an organ repairman took a copy of the song to his home village, it was introduced in widening circles by two families of traveling singers.  

“The composition evolved and was translated into over 300 languages with many different arrangements.  It was sung in churches, in town squares, even on the battlefield during WWI, when during a temporary truce on Christmas Eve, soldiers sang carols from home.  “Silent Night,” by 1914, known around the world, was sung simultaneously in French, German, and English.” (wrti.com)

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.

(Joseph Mohr, 1816)

.  .  .

I can’t imagine there was much calm or quiet about the night of our Savior’s birth: the skies burst open and heavenly hosts sang, the throes of labor and delivery unfolded in a shelter for animals, awe-struck shepherds burst through the door in the middle of the night!

But maybe a hush fell over the hillside as the shepherds were shocked, speechless, wondering what other worldly extravagance they had just witnessed and what it all meant.

Maybe a sacred hush fell over that manger when Mary and Joseph, and even the animals present, looked into the face of that newborn Baby who was GOD, with us!  

Maybe a captivating hush overcame those same shepherds when they entered that space and found themselves dropping to their knees in humble praise and adoration.  

And maybe, eight days later, the temple courts fell suddenly silent when Simeon and Anna encountered that Babe and knew with certainty He was GOD’s promise fulfilled, the Messiah, JESUS, who would save His people from their sins!

.  .  .

Two newer songs reference this beloved carol:

𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵⁣
𝘛𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 ⁣
𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦⁣
𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦⁣
𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵

(Amy Grant’s “I Need A Silent Night”)

𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵⁣
𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵,⁣
𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴⁣
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘮

(Francesca Battistelli’s “Behold Him”)

Right here, right now, we can find ourselves swept away in the swirl of life, or simply the packed month of December.  Maybe all we need to lift us from chaos to calm is to lift our eyes and behold Him!

Maybe a hush will settle over our hearts as we remember all is well because our Savior came!  We can rejoice in His coming and rest in His finished work of redemption!

Every time I sing the third verse, “Son of GOD, love’s pure light, radiant beams from Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace!”, my heart swells with the thrill that JESUS came to earth to secure salvation – for me!  

Will you join me today in savoring the words of Joseph Mohr’s “Silent Night”?

Those who look to Him will be radiant with joy.  (Psalm 34:5, NLT)