Christms Song of the Day
by KevinNovember 30th, 2008
I have always had a sentimental attachment to Silent Night. When I was in Catholic grade school, it was the first Christmas song I ever learned. We kindergartners sang in it in that year’s Christmas Assembly. I learned all the versus by heart and my parents assured me I sounded amazing. Later, after I had children of my own, I heard the song and was struck by the fact that it was a tender lullaby as well as a song of worship. It humanizes Mary and her son in a way that is unusual if not unique among Christmas carols. I can almost see Mary crooning something low and gentle, like this song, to her infant.
I used to argue about that hummanity with my second college roommate. Jesus’ sacrifice, I maintained then and now, means nothing if Jesus Christ was not a human being. Without that fear and pain, it is not a sacrifice. There may be verses more important to understanding Jesus and Christianity than Mark 15:34, but they are few in number. Silent Night is the most human among the traditional Chirstmas carols and thus, to my eye, the most Christian.
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 peaceSilent night, Holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from Heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah
Christ, the Savior is born
Christ, the Savior is bornSilent 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
Categories: Holiday, Xmas Lyric of the Day |
Jesus’ sacrifice, I maintained then and now, means nothing if Jesus Christ was not a human being.
I agree, and that only He could paid the ultimate debt and only His sacrifice (superior to any animal sacrifice) would reconcile us with the Father in Heaven. That is why the Catholic Mass is so important, we are continually offering this sacrifice up to the Father: “do this in remembrance of me” 1 COR 11:24 (”do” in Hebrew means “sacrifice”; “remembrance” means a type of offering, in this case a memorial offering that is continual).
What is incredible is now that Jesus has been resurrected in both His fully divine and human body, our human bodies too will be resurrected and glorified in Heaven when reunited with our souls at the end of time. So much so that we will be even higher than the angels! Perhaps this is why satan (who is the fallen angel lucifer ) rebelled against God.
I think another reason Silent Night became such a classic is that it is so easy to harmonize in so many ways. I remember that some years ago, a few friends and I tried an experiment where we each sang a different harmony - with no one singing melody. It sounded a little strange but actually quite cool.
Fantastic !!