Twelve Songs of Christmas, Day 3: O, Holy Night

Tonight I sang with a choir at a concert put on for the community. I haven’t sung in public for a long time.

Our choir director asked if I could sing soprano because they were short. I agreed, even though I generally sing alto. At the first rehearsal, I was the only soprano.

"Is this a joke?" I thought. "If so, it’s not funny!"

It took all my courage and willpower not to back out, to expose myself by singing the soprano part alone (in front of excellent singers!) – with quite a few high notes (lots of E above high C and even a G!). My desperate hope was that another soprano would join us, ideally for the rest of the rehearsal but certainly for the performance.

My heartfelt plea was answered and some wonderful soprano voices joined to save me from public humiliation.

It is a beautiful experience to join voices with other people to share a message.

A couple particularly powerful passages:

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease

O Holy Night doesn’t say that Christ will stop all oppression, it says that “in His name all oppression shall cease” – that coupled with the assertion that “Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace” serves as a call to action.

I’m going to cheat (can it be cheating if I made up the rules in the first place?) and pull in another song’s lyrics:

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be

With God as our Father
Brothers all are we

Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.

-Let There Be Peace on Earth

We all have the ability to profoundly impact this world – one person at a time, in all we do. I’m grateful for this time of year when so many feel increased love and kindness towards those around them. I pray that it can continue into the New Year and forever.

My goal: Love others more like Christ did.

Full Lyrics:

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appears and the Soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim