Was the Night Really Silent? 

   Many of us have seen The Sound of Music more than once. The setting was Salzburg, Austria.

   In 1818, a Catholic priest and his organist, in that same region, high in the Austrian Alps, often talked about hymns. When their organ broke down just before Christmas, they urgently needed a hymn the congregation could sing without the organ. 

   Joseph Mohr the priest penned the words, and organist Franz Gruber wrote the music. It might have been one and done, had the organ repairman not shared it with others a few days later.

   When I was a young, we spent one Christmas 90 miles away with Grandma and my uncle and family. On Christmas eve we attended a midnight service at their Lutheran (Catholic-light) church. 

   I still remember feeling emotional when the congregation sang - with pipe-organ accompaniment - Silent Night, Holy Night.

   Well, the night was not so silent when awesome angels appeared in the sky, announcing the birth and singing alleluia. Then all was silent again, until excited shepherds - nobodies in the culture - began telling all of Bethlehem Who they had seen in the stable. 

   Stanzas 1 and 3

Silent night, holy night,

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and Child.

Holy Infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

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.