Four Christmas Carols for Advent
A “Special Advent Edition” of the Hymn of the Month Series is a compilation of Christmas carols submitted by members of the congregation--one hymn for each week of Advent. Please take time to read these meaningful thoughts and memories of these hymns. May this Advent Season bring thoughts of how the carols of Christmas have remained true for each of you.
SILENT NIGHT—GAIL CARLSON
My favorite Christmas hymn is probably everyone's favorite, "Silent Night." I can barely hold my lighted candle straight up because of my tears of joy as we sing "Silent Night" at the end of the Christmas Eve service at West Nidaros. The story of the birth of the Savior is sung in a beautiful harmonic melody. For me, from early childhood, Christmas Eve has been a precious time of "Silent Night" filled with the blessed hope of the Christmas story. We sang this hymn at the Christmas Eve service and then, back at my grandparents' house, we seven grandchildren ended our "program" with "Silent Night." On the starlit drive to our home out in the country we were still singing ''Sleep in heavenly peace."
This Christmas may we again proclaim in this beloved hymn that "Christ, the Savior, is born!"
"This most universally sung of all Christmas songs was first heard in the tiny church of St. Nicholas in Oberdorf , Upper Austria. On Christmas Eve, 1818, the church organ broke down. Not to be daunted, the curate, Joseph Mohr, hastily wrote a song as a substitute for organ music, and asked Franz Gruber, the organist, to set it to music for two solo voices and guitar accompaniment." Words by Joseph Mohr and music by Franz Gruber. from BEST LOVED CHRISTMAS CAROLS.
WE THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE—ANJA RAKNESS
My favorite Christmas hymn is "We Three Kings of Orient Are." It's my favorite because it tells us more about the wise men, even though we don't know if there were three. If you didn't know what direction the wise men were going, the song says they were going westward. The star is leading them west, so they know they're supposed to go west to see toddler Jesus. Jesus is a toddler because it took the wise men a long time to get there. I am learning to play it on the piano. It's a beautiful song.
John H. Hopkins Jr. wrote the carol around 1857, based on Matthew 2:1-12, telling of men who traveled a long distance (most likely from Persia), guided by a star to see the newborn child named Jesus, the promised Messiah.
OF THE FATHER’S LOVE BEGOTTEN - ELISE HASCHE
My favorite Christmas hymn is “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” This isn’t a hugely commonly thought of Christmas song but it is usually one of the first I think of. My first memory of this song is of my mother singing it at worship, acapella, modulating each verse up, bringing more power and energy as the words progress. Each verse brings more praise and adoration to God and uplifts the power and love that we are given. Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Aurelius Clemens Prudentius was born in Spain in 348 A.D. Prudentius was trained to be a lawyer and rose to high office, serving as a powerful judge. He rose through the ranks of the state and finished his civil career as a court official for the Christian Emperor Theodosius. At the age of 57, at the height of his power and prestige, Prudentius grew weary of civic life and considered his life thus far to have been a waste. So the successful lawyer, judge, and civil servant retired to write hymns and poetry. For the last decade of his life, before his death around 413, Prudentius wrote some of the most beautiful hymns of his day. Prudentius’ best known hymn today is Corde Natus Ex Parentis–Of the Father’s Love Begotten. It was translated into English by John Mason Neale and Henry Baker in the 1850s.
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH--MARGE HEGGE
One of my favorite Christmas carols is Angels We Have Heard on High. This brings back memories of our singing in the children’s choir, “GLORIA In Excelsis Deo”. We were dressed as angels with strap-on wings, which made us feel the joy of the angels as they watched over the baby Jesus. The singing and the Nativity scene seemed so magical, like a wondrous fairy tale when the boundary between heaven and earth was paper thin. As we grew in faith, we learned the fairy tale was real, and that the special baby came from Heaven for us. The nativity kept its mystery, but the promises of salvation brought by this babe became more real every Christmas. Gloria, Gloria, Gloria!!!
Angels We Have Heard on High is of French origin and originally titled “Les anges dans nos campagnes“. The original author of the song is unknown, but believed to be from Languedoc, France. The carol was first published in France in 1855. The English translation came seven years later in 1862, however the version that we sing today was first printed in a 1916 collection of carols.
