The Music of Christmas by Sharon Heagy

 

            When asked to write about the music of Christmas, my heart became overwhelmed.  I happen to love Christmas music. A warm summer day in July may find me diving into the Christmas CDs for an unseasonal listen…alone. Anytime of year is the time for the music of Christmas for this gal.

Listening to those melodies gives me fodder for warm and cherished memories. Like the good-natured great tinsel wars of family tree decorating from years past. “You throw it at the tree in bunches!” “No, you place it on the branches carefully one strand a time.”  Memories of singing, on or off key, along with whomever sat down at the piano to play a few Christmas melodies. My Mom playing by ear and my Dad plunking away with the same 3 chords for each and every song.  Recollections of crowded kitchens, the aromas of baking cookies and roasting turkeys. Nostalgic reflection of people with whom we shared this special day – those still with us and those long gone. And memories of music everywhere. On the radio, in the malls, on the many TV musical variety shows that used to be so popular and in our hearts. But even more than the music itself, I enjoyed the stories behind the songs.

Stories like the one about the composition of ‘Silent Night’ – a poem written by a young priest named Joseph Mohr and his request to Franz Gruber, the school master and organist, to put the poem to music for guitar just hours before the Christmas Eve service.

Or what about ‘Oh Holy Night’. Another poem written by poet Placide Cappeau with music composed by Adolphe Adam. It was performed in a church for one of the Christmas services. The church eventually banned the work because it was written by a socialist and a Jew.  Yet, this anointed piece so moved the hearts of the people that they continued to sing it anyway until the ban was lifted and it was accepted once more.

The story is what I long to hear because it exposes the hearts of the writers and because I enjoy a good story.

Today takes us back to THE story, the one that started it all. Since I have been assigned the 25^th of the month it is only appropriate that I kneel before the King of kings and Lord of lords, to the One who inspires and guides each one of us at Inscribe, and relate His story as written through the physician, Luke.

May God be with you and bless you this Christmas Day and every day of the year. Without further ado I give you the Christmas Story because “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown” (C.M. Schultz)

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying. ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”   Luke 2:1-20 NIV

Merry Christmas.