Oh Holy Night (stanza 1)
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of Our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world In sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d And the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels’ voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
I must say, I have a hard time explaining holiness. Defining holiness, in a real and tangible way, is difficult for me. Things that are holy, that are truly of God, are often hard to describe. I prefer instead, an “I’ll know it when I see it” take on the subject.
And this carol reminds me of what is holiest of all. Our God broke into this world in a new way, in the best way, that night so long ago. When Christ was born, something deeply holy and beautiful took place and this carol speaks to that so beautifully. When we sing of the stars brightly shining, of the stillness of that night, I can feel God’s presence over the earth. To know that our God loves us so much, that he has come to us in the flesh, I can think of no better response than to “fall on my knees, hear the angel voices.”
This carol, O Holy Night, defines for me what holiness is and what our response to it should be. Holiness is when God breaks into our world; it is when we know that God is near. Falling on our knees in awe is the only logical response to that! Let us remember that this Advent season is holy, it is filled with God’s presence. Let our hearts be worshipful and glad.
All glory to you, Great God, you wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature. Amen.
Tara Bulger
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