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Silent Night!

Posted by Jonathan | Filed under Culture, Religion

I didn’t know what to write for my Christmas post, but I finally had an inspiration and offer this post as my gift to all.

It was 1914 and ‘Westward Ho’ was the call of the British and French troops as they were entrenched in Belgium fighting the Kaiser and the Germans in the middle of World War 1. It was in this horrid event that one of the most spectacular displays of ‘Peace on Earth’ took place. On the Eve of Christmas, the German guns fell silent, and after a period of time the British and French followed suit. What happened next has been explained as a miracle, battle fatigue and a number of different things by believers and critics alike, but is undoubtedly one of the greatest displays of the power of the Christmas season since the birth of the Savior in a little town in called Bethlehem. The Germans began to line the ridges of their trenches with small Tannenbaum, and over the battlefield that only hours earlier had been deafened by the sound of munitions the sound of Christmas carols could be heard. Slowly the British forces began to join in the chorus. Throughout the night opposing forces joined voices to sing of the blessed occasion of nearly 2000 years earlier. As dawn began to shed light on the battlefield Christmas morning, the word was passed of a possible truce to fighting. A brave English soldier stood up out of his trench, laid down his weapon and slowly proceeded into no-mans-land between the battle lines. A German soldier followed his opponents example and gradually both sides met in the middle to shake hands and offer one another a Christmas blessing. Some soldiers exchanged gifts. Others offered haircuts or put on entertainment shows. Orders came from the generals and commanders to resume fighting, yet the orders were ignored. As the day drew to and end the soldiers slowly made their way back to their respective sides shaking hands and saying farewell, as both sides new that fighting would resume shortly. However a Silent Night and a day of rejoicing demonstrated the peace that will some day be part of Earth.

The year was 1818, and in an Austrian village nearly a century prior to the silent night Christmas truce of World War 1, Joseph Mohr gave his poem “Silent Night” to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber who composed a melody intended to be played by the guitar:

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 Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent 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 “

While “Silent Night” was penned by Joseph Mohr in 1818 and demonstrated by the Germans, British and French in 1914, it was in a small town in Bethlehem that the greatest silent night in history took place 2007 years ago. Christ the Savior of mankind was born. While His birth would not end fighting on this earth immediately, nor bring peace between nations. It would bring peace for mankind with God. For Christ came to Earth to die on the cross as payment for the wages of our sin, so that we could have peace with God. He died, rose again on the third day and ascended to heaven to one day return to establish and everlasting physical kingdom that would bring everlasting peace on earth. However to be part of his everlasting kingdom of peace you must accept his gift that he came to deliver that 1st Christmas on a silent night in Bethlehem - the gift of salvation. For if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. This gift of salvation will bring you a peace unimaginable. This is the gift of God that he gave the world on that silent night and it is the gift that I share with you this Christmas 2007. Have a Merry Christmas and be of good cheer.

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Tags: christmas, gifts, Theology