O Holy Night!
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the Spirit 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 angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
—Placide Cappeau (1808–1877)
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 ter- rified. 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. (Luke 1:6-11)
Merry Christmas, at last! Indeed, the night so often associated with fear, death, and uncertainty has given way to the birth of Christ, light of the world, “savior at thy birth” and the reason our soul feels worth. That’s the claim of this carol. Our humanity must be grounded in the true humanity of Jesus if we are to live with self-respect and respect of others, because we know our “worth.” Scripture tells us that we have been “bought with a price,” for which God, in Jesus Christ, has given us everything, at the cost of life. This brings us full circle to the beginning of this Devotional. I hope it has blessed you. I hope you see your worth and the worth of those around you through the lens of Christ, whose life, death and resurrection have made all the difference.
Prayer: God of Merry-making and Christmastide, help me to welcome the Christ Child, as ruler of my heart, that I may see how valuable I am, a value that is non-negotiable and displayed by the cost of Christ’s Cross. Help me to live in this Christmas spirit all the year-long. In Christ’s name, Amen.
—Rev. Edwin Estevez