In the year 1818, a 26-year-old Catholic priest by the name of Joseph Moore was preparing for the Christmas Eve service at his church in the Austrian Alps. And while cleaning up the church in preparation, he found out that his organ had broken. This was not good. I mean, here’s this young guy that is probably new to this church.
And one of his first Christmases in charge, the organ breaks. He won’t even have music at his Christmas service. I’m sure he was totally freaking out. You can just hear the parishioners now talking about how this young guy is letting the church fall apart. Is it even Christmas without music? Does something interesting happened next rather than give up?
Joseph decided that if his organ was broken, he would figure out a different way to make music on Christmas. So he sat down and wrote these words, silent night. Holy night, all is calm and all is bright. Sleep and heavenly peace.
He brought the words that he had written. To his organist, Franz Gruber, to compose a melody. And just like that Silent Night was born,
not born out of a songwriter or a recording contract, but out of a 26-year-old priest at the end of his rope trying to save a Christmas mass that he was probably ill-equipped to handle, but he trusted God and one of the most beautiful and iconic songs ever written was conceived.
The gospel reminds us that in the middle of our brokenness, there is the possibility of new life. I am so thankful that God can work miracles and those of us who are broken.
You’ve been listening to Everyday Miracles by Hope, mindfulness, and Prayer.
If you’ve ever gone through art history class, you’re probably familiar with a painting called The Light of the World. It was painted by the British artist Holman Hunt, and hangs in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It’s one of the most iconic religious paintings in history. The painting depicts Jesus standing outside of a small, dilapidated cottage.
I was recently listening to the U2 album, all that you Can’t Leave Behind, and I came across a song called Grace. The lyrics say this, grace takes the blame, covers the shame, removes the stain, but once was hurt, but once was friction. What left a mark? No longer stings because grace makes beauty out of ugly things.
Recently I went to visit a friend of mine and while visiting, he asked me if I wanted to go see his brother play Little League Baseball that afternoon. I said, sure. So we made our way over to the fields. His little brother was a pitcher and supposedly he was pretty good. But it quickly became evident that today was not his day.
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