New Memories of "Silent Night" by Pamela Mytroen

by Pamela Mytroen

 

How will Christmas 2020 be remembered? One thing is certain – the fruitcake won't follow the traditional recipe this year. We will make new traditions. Think about the usual Christmas program in church. You know, the same one every year where the children dress up in bathrobes and carry old vases found in the church basement for frankincense, gold, and myrrh. The one where the toddlers are more fascinated with the lights than with singing "Away in a Manger". 

The one where the kids forget their lines. Yes, that one. And finally when the chaos was over,  Moms and Sunday School directors heaved a sigh of relief and looked forward to that  “sleep in heavenly peace”. And then, a quiet awe would settle as we sang “Silent Night”. It brought us all together in wonder of that first Christmas. Those church nativities are so endearing, now that they are beyond our reach, and will forever be precious. 

 

And what about this? Will it ever happen again? I'm thinking of when my husband - a child at the time - sang "Silent Night" in his Christmas concert in a tiny church. All the children stood on stage, holding lit candles. This was, of course, back before we knew that these things were dangerous and we were not yet enlightened. He was so focused on the words of the song that he didn't think about the lovely young girl standing just in front of him, with long luscious locks. Nor did he smell the burnt hair as she fainted and fell back into his candle. 

When he did realize it, though, he quickly clobbered her with his book, repeatedly, until he smothered the flames. And of course when the crew dragged her off stage, he re-joined the chorus heartily, “All is calm, all is bright.” Though "Silent Night" was not so silent, the message remained the same, and a new version was forever burned into memory.  

 

The song continues to make memories today. Instead of singing our carols as a choir in church, we thought we should sing to the seniors of a care home. 

We carolled outside their windows, with our masks on, on an icy driveway, spaced far apart. 

How strange to look at each other through a cold glass 

window! 

But inside, they waved and blew kisses to us. They clapped to the rhythms and moved to the tunes in their wheelchairs. 

 

Though it felt cold, sterile and distant, we sensed the warmth of Emmanuel, God with us. 

We discovered that glass and mask barriers cannot hold back joy and peace. 

Darkness did not prevent a spontaneous dance to “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”. And, though not holding a candle on a stage, we still pray that we imparted light and hope to those who are cut off from loved ones and from the usual events that give them a sense of stability. 

 

What about the first coming of Jesus? Talk about breaking with tradition! There was nothing traditional about a baby born of a virgin. Or about lowly shepherds being visited by illustrious angels! How bizarre! And how about the Star that guided mysterious wisemen to seek out a newborn King?  

 

What was traditional and routine, unfortunately, was that Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled. The Roman authorities and the religious leaders continued to make life desperate and burdensome for the people. These were the everyday traditions of their lives. The people had waited four-hundred years for a Saviour. And He came – “the dawn of redeeming grace” - in one of the most troubled times in history, and in a most unconventional way. His birth, surrounded by farm animals, in a small, insignificant town seemed too humble and too different. 

 

How dare God show up in a way we hadn't expected!

 

Jesus continues to surprise us. He visited us outside on a cold night, while we stood near a window, wearing a mask, croaking out carols for our dear seniors.

 No children on stage. No candles. Not even any burning hair. Definitely not any heavenly hosts singing Alleluia. And yet, this has been one of the most life-changing carol singings I have experienced. Jesus came humbly to our little group of singers. Emmanuel, God was with us! And "Silent Night" with its timeless message, once again made new memories. This time during the unexpected happenings of 2020. 

Pam Mytroen