200 years ago the much loved hymn, Silent Night, composed by a priest, was first performed in a church in a small Austrian village on Christmas Eve, 1818. Since then, it has been translated into at least 300 languages for its message is universally appealing. The song makes us mindful that the night of Jesus’ birth was both silent and holy. I can imagine the setting as one traditionally believed to be in a cave, dimly lit by candles, giving Mary and Joseph enough light to dispel the darkness of that silent night.
Recently, many of us have been without electricity, thus left either in the dark or with limited lighting, perhaps even using candles to light our space. One parishioner related to me last Saturday that as she was sipping coffee and meditating amidst a sea of candles in her home that morning she noticed the absence of that light when a candle burnt out.
While it only takes the flame of one candle or the beam of one flashlight to dispel the darkness we found ourselves in this past week, the amount of light was certainly limited and so we were relieved and grateful when power was finally restored and all the lights came back on and life was “back to normal.”
As that favorite hymn suggests, the night Jesus was born was silent and holy. His presence transformed that night, moving shepherds to leave their fields and quake at the sight of him. These shepherds cared for the sheep that would be later used for sacrifices in the holy Temple. Commemorating his birth prompts us to come and likewise quake at the sight of him as well.
Just as we appreciate every bit of light, have you ever savored every bit of silent time you are blessed to have with the Lord, just as the shepherds had that night?
Or every moment of holiness that you have been blessed with? If not, perhaps you have been seduced by the greatest lie in the history of Christianity: that holiness is not possible. But keep in mind, this child came into the world with the mission to save us from the evil one and to make us holy. He is continually calling us to holiness that evolves from spending silent time in prayer with him.
Our relationship with Jesus is like any relationship in our lives. What we gain from this relationship depends on what we are willing to give. Think of the many friendships you have: members of your family, other relatives, close friends, acquaintances, classmates presently or past, neighbors, colleagues at work. Notice that the degree you relate to anyone of them varies from person to person.
The depth of your relationship pays off with close friends far more than in the case of casual friends, doesn’t it? Those whom we are close to command our frequent attention, while our acquaintances and distant relatives might be friends we only hear from once a year with a Christmas card.
Now, contemplate the depth of your friendship with this new- born babe, Jesus the Christ, who has come into the world to give you the opportunity to experience everlasting life. He came into the world on this silent holy night to invite us into an intimate relationship with him that would render us holy.
Might you be judging this relationship with Jesus to be a casual one that demands little of your attention, as little as infrequently coming to Mass or are you judging yourself as being blessed with a relationship that you judged to be very close? However you grade your friendship with Jesus outside of this worship time, know that this new born king yearns for you to become even more holy then ever and thus be a light on his behalf to others.
God is calling all of us to holiness but acceptance of that invitation need not be overwhelming. Just as every journey begins with that first step, so the trek toward holiness begins with that first step. If prayer is not part of your daily routine, I invite you to take a minimum of two minutes out of each morning, perhaps before you get out of bed, in silence and solitude, wrap yourself in gratitude before the Lord, thanking God for the gift of life and a new day. It is in silence that we come to know God and ourselves better.
Consider that time you spend with God a holy moment. As the day goes on, you undoubtedly will interact with many people. How you do is another invitation to holiness, offering you the opportunity to relate to those you encounter with love, compassion, thoughtfulness, just as Jesus would. Our many acts done in that manner truly bring light into the lives of others, dispelling whatever darkness, such as anger or hurt there may have been. Every burst of light we bring to others is another moment of holiness.
What you do during the day doesn’t make who you are, but who you are determines the kind of things you do. If you are convinced that you cannot be holy, then you are apt to do selfish things, even hateful things. But if you know that you are a child of God, full of dignity and worth, then you will do God-like things. You will create many moments of holiness.
My wish this Christmas for you is this: to be holy and be happy. Not picture-card saints, but normal saints, people, like you and me who had their faults and sins, yet humbly sought forgiveness and endeavored to have moments of holiness in their lives. They knew that holiness was the path to joy and peace. Merry Christmas!