December 24, 2008

“The Christmas Presence” – Luke 2:1-10 – December 24, 2008

It is traditional on Christmas Eve to sing the hymn, Silent Night. When we sing Silent Night there is a wonderful feeling of warmth. I believe it is a moment when we feel very close to God. The words not only tell the story of Jesus’ birth, they connect us with people of the faith both in the past and in the present. What is amazing about this great hymn is how it was composed.

It happened at the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Eve, 1818. This was a relatively obscure little village in the Austrian Alps much like the little obscure town of Bethlehem in ancient Palestine. Father Joseph Mohr (1792-1848), was the assistant parish priest. The organist, Franz Gruber, told Father Mohr that the pipe organ was broken beyond repair and would not be available for the Christmas Eve worship service. All was hopeless and father Mohr was devastated.

To relieve his tension Father Mohr visited the homes of parish families scattered in the mountains. Meanwhile, Gruber, the organist, paced the floor, trying to dream up some alternative to replace the broken instrument. As father Mohr made his rounds he was called to the humble cottage of a poor woodcutter whose wife was giving birth. Mohr compared the scene to the one in Bethlehem. It inspired him to write a poem. The words began to flow from his pen, “Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright.” Actually the poem was written in German. (The words can be found in the New Century Hymnal on page 134)

When he returned to the church, the organist was still there, still upset about the disabled pipe organ. Mohr handed Gruber his poem, told him to pick up a guitar and then told him to write some music to match his new poem. Gruber was an accomplished organist, not much of a guitar player. Mohr said, “You know three cords, right? Just use the three cords you know and write the music in two parts. Tonight you play and we will sing along.” That historic night, the song was sung in worship for the first time.

There were others involved in the composition of the hymn, including four Strasser children, from Zillertal, who introduced the hymn to the world at large in 1832. In 1839, Silent Night made its debut in the United States by the Rainer family at Trinity Church in New York City.

Like the birth of Christ, the great hymn, Silent Night, originated from humble beginnings. More significantly, a young priest was inspired because of his experience at the birth of a child in the home of a poor woodcutter. Also, the hymn may have never been written had it not been for that broken pipe organ. What seemed to be a hopeless disaster was transformed into one of the great moments in our Christian history.

The story of Jesus’ birth, like the story of Silent Night, illustrates that God is with us during perilous times. We just don’t always make the connection. To be a shepherd 20 centuries ago was a not a joyful vocation. Shepherds were outcasts, wanderers in desolate places, disconnected from society and filled with misery and hopelessness.

God, however was present, surrounding them with a wonderful presence, inviting them as the first witnesses to the birth of God’s son. In that moment they were affirmed as worthy persons and loved by God. They were not forgotten and they were the first to receive the good news. “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Although none of you are shepherds I believe there are many who feel a real disconnect from the presence of God. Hardships, financial strain, health problems, aloneness or fragile relationships keep us in darkness. Where is God in my life? Why is it I don’t feel God’s presence?

The shepherds experienced God’s presence because they were powerless to do anything about it. God came to them and fortunately they chose to respond. They could have believed that the whole thing was a hoax. Better to tend to the sheep they run up to Bethlehem and check out the news. When we understand we are dependent on God we are more open to God’s creative power and presence.

A life of faith requires a response. At any moment God can appear, speak or vibrate and make His presence known in our lives. When we choose to accept that a guiding light, a joyous sound or a heart-warming sensation is of God we are responding in faith to the presence of God. When we brush off such an event as coincidence or deny the impact on our lives we lack the faith to trust that God is in our midst. “The shepherds went with haste to see what had taken place in Bethlehem.” They didn’t procrastinate or rationalize what was happening. They went and after witnessing the event they shared the good news, “glorifying and praising God.” In other words, they responded to God’s presence with a profound faith.

Unfortunately we live in a time when the technology and information of humankind receives superior credit. God’s presence is rationalized or explained away due to our own achievements. For example in our society the success of Christmas will be measured in terms of how much is spent in department stores. There is no gauge to measure how many lives will be impacted by the presence of God. No one accounts for the number of reconciled relationships, acts of forgiveness or moments of inspiration. I suggest to you that those numbers are as many as there are stars in the sky.

Most everyone loves Christmas. For most it is a sentimental festive occasion where families come together and exchange gifts. For me, it is far more than that. It is a reminder of the presence of God in all situations. Our faith is enriched when we choose to accept that God works in our midst in ways we can not explain, when God sheds light in the dark areas of our lives or when we experience God’s unconditional love.

One Christmas my brother, Gary and I were anxious about the presents that would be waiting for us under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. We managed to do some snooping and discovered some really great gifts under my parent’s bed. We took inventory and vowed not to tell anyone of our discovery. When Christmas morning came there were less presents under the tree than normal. With a family of six there were always piles of packages in equal amounts for my three brothers and myself. We opened our gifts but Gary and I had fewer than our other two brothers. We looked at each other is disbelief.

My dad picked up on our forlornness. He looked at my mom with a look of puzzlement. Dad left the family room only to return later with 8 additional presents. He said, “Santa must have brought these to the house while we were all in the family room.” Those gifts were different than the ones we saw before Christmas. To say the least Gary and I were relieved. My parents had no idea that we had been snooping because we never told them. Somehow, God intervened to teach us a valuable lesson. Not only did we learn to be patient, we also learned that we were loved in spite of our sinfulness.

God’s presence is made known in so many wonderful ways. God provides light when we are in the darkness just as God revealed Himself to the shepherds that first Christmas night. God is the giver of life, our most precious resource. God loves us all and wants us to be faithful, not just during Christmas, but all year long. And most important, the greatest gift that is ours to accept, at any moment in time, is the precious gift of forgiveness and grace. Thanks be to God for that first silent night when God’s son was born in our midst. God was present with the world then and God continues to be present with us now.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio

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