Songs of the Season from the Christmas Story – Part II
Have you been enjoying your Christmas music this year? I'm sure have! I usually buy a couple of new Christmas CD’s each year and have already done so this year. I have even been tempted to buy more, but have decided to be content with what I have for now.
I love Christmas music, especially when our Church starts singing the Christmas hymns. This past Sunday we sang “Silent Night.” I enjoy this peaceful hymn, especially when we sing it as a part of our Candlelight service.
I have been studying some of the history behind the Christmas carols and hymns we sing. This week I read the story behind “Silent Night.” May I share it with you?
Joseph Mohr was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1792. As a boy he was an active chorister in the Cathedral of Salzburg. In 1815 Mohr was ordained to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. It was Christmas Eve and Father Mohr was preparing for the midnight service. He was distraught because the church organ was broken, ruining the prospects for that evening’s carefully planned music. Father Mohr and Franz Gruber, the village schoolmaster and church organist had often talked about the fact that the perfect Christmas hymn had never been written. Father Mohr decided that he must write his own Christmas hymn, immediately, in order to have music for the Christmas Eve Mass and to avoid disappointing his faithful congregation. Hastily, he wrote the words, “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright...” Taking the text to his organist, he explained the situation and asked him to compose a simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, “Silent Night” was sung for the first time as a duet accompanied by guitar at the aptly named Church of St. Nicholas.
Wow, if it were not for a broken organ, there would never have been a “Silent Night.” Music has a profound impact on us. Do you recall the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel 16? The Bible says that “an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” So his servants asked for permission to seek out a man, “who is a cunning player on an harp,” or skillful in playing. So they found David and he was brought in to play his harp for King Saul. And the Bible says, “when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” I read about one Country Music artist that said:
“Once, when a bar brawl broke out, I tried something that worked so well it became my standard response when fights started. Just when things started getting out of hand, when bikers were reaching for their pool cues and rednecks were heading for the gun rack, I’d start playing Silent Night. It could be the middle of July, I didn’t care. As I played, grown men would stop everything and calm down. Sometimes they’d even start crying, standing there watching me sweat and play Christmas carols.”
Why, even my little grandson Brayden, who is almost 18 months old, starts to “move” when he hears any kind music. So music does have an effect on us.
This is why I have been studying the “Songs of the Christmas Story” this year from Luke chapter 1 and 2. I would encourage you to take some time and read Luke 1:46-56. It’s Mary song, known as “The Magnificat.”
Six months had passed since Zacharias was told by the angel Gabriel that he and Elizabeth would give birth to a baby. Now, Gabriel is sent from heaven again, this time to a young peasant girl named Mary. “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” She’s fearful, frustrated, and unsure about the future. How shall this be, she asked, seeing I know not a man? The angel said, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Mary accepted God’s will. Verse 38 says, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. She departs and goes to the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth and stays there until just before Elizabeth gives birth to John the Baptist. While she was there, she burst forth in song, praise and adoration to the God of Heaven. What did Mary do when she was fearful, anxious, perplexed and not sure about the future? She magnified the Lord. Let me ask you a question. Do you magnify the Lord when you are fearful, anxious, perplexed, and not sure about the future?
If this article has been a blessing to you, why not contact Pastor Reuben Cason of the Whie Oak Free Will Baptist Church in Bailey, NC and let him know you enjoyed his article.
Thanks Pastor Cason for contributing to this blog!
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