August 17-18 -

"If the world hates you, remember that they hated me before you". "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

It was October, my mother's birthday, and I had taken her up to the Lake District for a few special days of celebration. We stayed at a small guest house in a village way up in the mountains. What you tend to forget when your home is in a city suburb, is just how dark darkness is at night. Without street lights the darkness, like a heavy blanket wrapped around us deadening the sound of our voices. But looking up above us, the skies....! If I'd ever hoped to see the glory of God, and feel His peace, it was that night. This must have been the experience of Father Josef Mohr that night in Arnsdorf, Austria.

Father Mohr was on his way home on foot after a day visiting parishioners. He was culling over in his mind how he could resolve the problem of the broken church organ in time for the Christmas Eve service – everything else was arranged and he had wanted to round the service off with some special music.

Up in the mountains it was silent and dark, and the only lights he could see were a few from the village below him – and the stars above. Sitting down to rest on a rock, his mind drifted back to another night of silent darkness – the night in Bethlehem that brought us the birth of Christ....Silent night, Holy night. Slowly the words began to come to him. He couldn't wait to get home and start writing them down.

The following day he showed the words to his organist Franz Gruber. As he read on he felt the peace of that first silent night surrounding him, and he began to sing. Those around him knew from then on the song would be immortal as it passed down through the centuries.

There was no organ music in the church on Christmas Eve But as Father Mohr sang, accompanied by Franz Gruber on guitar the congregation listened in wonder as the first rendition of “Silent Night” filled the old church....a Christmas gift to the world, generation after generation, after generation.

(Acknowledgements Author Unknown).

“God is Here” - There is an anointing in the Sanctuary – once again one of Bryn's selection. Click on the picture to listen