Tuesday, December 21
Star Carol
Angels bright, come from heaven’s highest glory,
Bear the news with its message of good cheer;
“Sing, rejoice, for a King is come to save us,
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
Follow me joyfully;
“See his star shining bright,
In the sky this Christmas Night!
Follow me joyfully;
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!"
I first remember hearing John Rutter’s Star Carol on a local Christian radio station during several Christmas seasons. At that time, I thought that it was a very beautiful song but was never able to find out the name of it, as they typically did not announced names and artists on the radio station. Later on, after joining our church choir, we sang the Star Carol. I was thrilled to be singing “that beautiful song that I heard on the radio.”
When I think about Christmas, one of the most important things to me is the music that is heard that time of the year. In fact the translation of Merry Christmas into the Hawaiian language is “mele Kalikimaka.” If you translate mele kalikimaka back to English it comes back meaning something like “sing about Christmas.” It could be argued that “making merry” means to sing about something! At Christmastide, we can make merry by singing.
The second stanza above emphasizes how that Jesus came to this earth to save us. It also reminds us of the shining star that lead the shepherds to find Jesus where he lay. Mary, his mother, was a virgin. This virgin birth of the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament as was that of the birth taking place in Bethlehem. Even the scribes and the Pharisees told the Magi where to look for the Christ Child. Jesus came and lived a perfect life. Then he was crucified for our sins. And if we only accept his sacrifice as payment for our sins, then we are forgiven of all of them—all sins, past, present, and future. Thus when God looks at us, we are perfectly sinless and filled with the righteousness of Christ. That way, we can have eternal life through Jesus Christ. Eternal life sounds like a good Christmas gift. Indeed, Jesus is the “reason for the season.”
John Rutter is a contemporary composer/arranger of music and has written no small amount of music. Besides the Star Carol, he has also written the Candlelight Carol and the Donkey Carol which our choir has done. (See The John Rutter Christmas Album, with the Cambridge Singers and London Sinfonia, www.collegium.co.uk). He has also arranged traditional Christmas music and written much more as well. Our choir has also done the Rutter Requiem on more than one occasion as another example. He also wrote a cute piece called Brother Heinrich’s Christmas (from the CD entitled Three Musical Fables).
The most important part of Christmas, for me, is that of the music that is heard during that season. I do enjoy very much hearing John Rutter’s music and choir music in general.
Lord God, we thank you for Jesus Christ, our Savior, Redeemer, and Messiah, who made it possible for us to come to You into your Presence and have eternal life. Amen.
Tom Berry
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