Silent Night

In honor of Christmas Eve, I thought I'd take a look at a favorite hymn: Silent Night. I've gotten to do a little more caroling than usual this year, and have listened to more Christmas music, too. The carols have deep meaning for me. They remind me of home and family because they're so familiar. And their descriptions of faith are so beautiful, it is an encouragement for me in my faith.

In particular, I love the beauty of the third verse of Silent Night:

Silent Night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light,
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!

What a beautiful image! Light, beauty, grace, come together and are born into the world as a baby. But somehow that light also foretells Jesus' ministry as a grown man, and what his other, divine identity is. It is like watching the sun rise, bringing with it warmth, safety and a new day.

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P.S. If you're looking for a less familiar Christmas song, this version of Come Thou Font of Every Blessing by Sufjan Stevens is beautiful.