In a Few Minutes Time

Scripture References: Isaiah 7:14; Luke 2:15

The priests in St. Nicolas Church, Obendorf, Austria, panicked Christmas Eve, 1818, when the church organ malfunctioned. The assistant pastor quickly penned a six-stanza poem, beginning with the words “Stille nacht, heilige nacht.” He took the verses to Franz Gruber, the church organist, who arranged a melody for two solo voices, a chorus, and guitar.

That might have been the end of it had not a serendipitous organ repairman learned of the song and taken a copy home. Two traveling singing families took it to more distant locales, singing it before the king of Prussia and in New York City. In 1834 the classic was heard in English: “Silent Night, Holy Night.’” It is the most popular Christmas carol in the world.

Perhaps the beauty of the message endears the song to us, the message of a love that brought God down to us and of a grace that lifts us up to God—luminous threads through every inch of the divine fabric that envelopes all who tie their lives to Christ. We hang the song on our hearts like an ornament on a Christmas tree, knowing it will illumine our life all year long.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.