Well Words Wednesday | December 2024
12 04 2024
Silent, Holy, Calm & Bright
“Silent night, holy night, all is calm, and all is bright.”
“Silent Night” was written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr, a young
priest in Austria. He wrote the lyrics just after the end of the
Napoleonic Wars which left his congregation traumatized, poverty
stricken, and hungry. He penned the six verse poem to provide hope and
reassurance that there was a God who loved them and cared for them.
Though Mohr was also a gifted musician, adept at playing both the guitar
and violin, he asked his friend, Franz Xaver Gruber who was a local
organist, to compose the music for the six verses. After Gruber composed
the melody for Silent Night, Mohr decided he and Gruber would
introduce his congregation to this song of peace and hope on Christmas
Eve of 1818. However, an unanticipated problem arose. They found that
the organ was not working and unable to be repaired. Disappointed not to
have the opportunity to introduce the song with the accompaniment of
the vibrant sounds of the organ, Mohr and Gruber decided to proceed
anyway. With Mohr playing the guitar, the two friends sang “Silent
Night” for the first time in front of Mohr’s congregation.
Having grown up with this favorite carol, many of us probably have a
mental picture of this silent and holy night, one that was also calm and
bright. It makes me think of the silence and calm that occurs at night
after a good snowfall. The world is at peace, and the brightness of the
blanket of white snow is a beautiful backdrop to the night sky. All the
world around us is quiet and still. There is a sense of holiness and
peace. It may be the setting that we all yearn for during this hectic
time of the year. It could be the state of mind, heart, and soul that we
truly desire.
Impossible, did you say? Difficult, yes, but achievable if we
intentionally set aside small amounts of time to reflect on these four
words each day: silent, holy, calm, bright. Let us take a closer look to see how these words might anchor us throughout Advent and the Christmas season.
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Silent
Habakkuk 2:20 “But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Psalm 62:5 “For God alone, my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.”
How do you attain silence amidst the noises of Christmas? Besides the
cheerful noises of Christmas carols and children’s voices, you also
have the distracting noises of your thoughts concerning your growing
to-do lists. How can you possibly carve 15-20 minutes out of your day
for silence? Could you set aside time before or after lunch? It would be
a great reset in the middle of the day, even if you had only 10
minutes. Quiet your mind and focus on your breathing. When your mind
tries to take you back to all you have going on, bring your focus back
to the breath. Visualize that night of silence, one of stillness and awe
at the birth of our Savior. You will be surprised at the peace you can
find in that small amount of silence. Your mind will be refreshed after
having stilled your thoughts for a brief amount of time. Think of
silence as a form of worship, a way to reconnect with God.
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Holy
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom
the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring
to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Keeping our focus on “holy” can be difficult with the many worldly
distractions of decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and gatherings.
Begin your day by inviting the presence of the Holy Spirit to be with
you and sit with Him in that holy space. Visualize the holy night of
Jesus’s birth. This is a wonderful way to begin each day during this
time of year. As you go about your day, try humming the tune to “Oh Holy
Night”. When you are feeling particularly stressed, take a deep breath,
look for the “holy”, and reconnect with the Spirit.
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Calm
Psalm 46-10 “Be still and know that I am God!”
Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of
man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to
please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
How do we remain calm when we desire perfection? Will this be the
perfect gift, will my home and table reflect the perfect beauty I
desire, will the meal turn out perfectly, will everyone get along? It is
difficult to achieve calm when we are comparing ourselves to others and
seeking their validation. Remind yourself of the only one whose
validation matters. Seek to please Jesus by being the calm during chaos,
by being the peacemaker during conflict, by keeping the focus on love
instead of petty differences and hurt.
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Bright
Matthew 5:14,16 “You are the light of the world. A
city built on a hill cannot be hid. In the same way, let your light
shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory
to your Father in heaven.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-6 “For God, who said, “Let light
shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts to give the light of
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
How do we find the light amidst the darkness, pain, and divisiveness
that is ever present in our nation and our world today? Instead of
searching for the light, we can redirect our focus to being the light.
Just as the star of Bethlehem announced the birth of Jesus to the lowly
shepherds and the Gentile magi, we are called to shine the light of
Jesus and the story of his birth, death and resurrection to unlikely
candidates. It only takes one light to overcome darkness. Strive to be
the light this Christmas season, especially in unlikely places.
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Silent, holy, calm & bright.
Keep these four words and these verses of scripture in your heart and
mind as you navigate what is truly important during the seasons of
Advent and Christmas.
