Silent Night, Holy Night

Here is my servant … I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.    —Isaiah 42:1-2

If you attended a Christmas Eve candlelight service you may have sung the beautiful carol, Silent Night, as you lit your candle. The words were originally written in German by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the melody was composed by Franz Gruber for guitar accompaniment. It was first sung at the 1818 Christmas Eve service at the St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. The English lyrics begin, “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.”

The touching quietness of the carol makes me think about the awesome and terrible silence of God on that first Christmas night. Mary and Joseph were turned away from the inn to deliver God’s Son in a stable and lay Him in a manger. We find no mention of God’s anger with lightning strikes or peals of thunder. The Gospel of Luke alone records this short phrase, “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (2:7).

We hear nothing of Mary’s pregnancy except her brief visit to Elizabeth. No details are given of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The only break in this silence on the first Christmas is made by an angel chorus singing God’s praises to lonely shepherds in the wilderness far from the ears of the sleeping townspeople. Is it any wonder that they were afraid? When God speaks out of the silence, His voice can seem deafening.

Where were the birth announcements? There was no news media, but the announcement of Christ’s birth was sent across the universe. A star silently shone its light telling the entire creation of Jesus’ birth, but only those who were ready and able to see and hear understood. Probably two years later, Wiseman came from the east bringing gifts and homage.

The busyness and loudness of our Christmas celebrations seem out of place in light of our Savior’s quiet entrance. Even Jesus’ childhood and upbringing remains a mystery. God says through Isaiah, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.” Isaiah goes on to describe Jesus, “He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets” (42:1-2).

As your busyness halts and the noise ceases this Christmas season, rather than becoming sad and depressed, pause and reflect on the loveliness, peace, and silence of our Savior’s birth. Many Americans try to cover their loneliness with activities and their sadness with noise but with no success. Without Jesus Christ, there is no Christmas. Without Jesus, there is no joy, no contentment, and no peace on earth.

The birth announcements came, but only to those who had time and interest to listen. Let us be those folks this year. Let us pause and listen. Let us quiet ourselves to hear from God. Let us be the ones who hear a fresh word that transforms our communities and points others to Jesus. A flourish of activities and noise won’t bring God’s transforming Holy Spirit, but openness to God’s Kingdom, a listening soul, and a heart hungry for God’s ways will hear from heaven in our days. When was the last time you truly experienced a “Silent and holy night?”