Make Your Music, Even When Your Organ is Broken

Last night, I learned the story behind the writing of the Christmas carol, Silent Night or Stille Nacht, for all the German-speakers out there.

As the story goes, the organ in a small parish just outside of Salzburg, had broken and the priest worried that there would be no music for the Christmas Eve service.  It promised be a silent night, indeed.  

But Father Joseph couldn't bear the thought of a silent church on a night when there should be celebration and singing.  He wanted--needed--to make music that night.  He could feel neither calm nor bright until he had.

So he sought out the help of a friend from a nearby village, Franz Gruber, who was an organist and schoolmaster.  With him, Father Joseph brought the words of a poem that he had written, a poem inspired by the birth of a precious child in the village.  He asked Franz to compose a new Christmas carol that could be sung during mass and accompanied by a guitar.  

"But," Franz hesitated, "I only know three chords on the guitar..."

"Then it will be a song with three chords," replied Father Joseph.

And so, in a few short hours, using his three chords, Franz composed a simple carol and performed the song with Father Joseph at mass that night.  And, as the story goes, glories streamed from heavan afar as they joined the heavenly hosts in their resounding Alleluia!

In this holiday season, and throughout the year, we all have gifts to offer, we all have music to make.  Sometimes we run up against obstacles: our organs break and we feel like we lack the knowledge or the skill or the time to make the world better.  We feel like we are playing a guitar with only three chords.  

But sometimes, when we work with what we have been blessed with and share our gifts with others--we can create beautiful music together.  

As it happens, Stille Nacht is one of the most recognized and well-known Christmas carols in the world.  And people are still making music with this same melody 200 years later.  This story reminds me to see difficulties as opportunities and to seek out chances to make my own music. I hope that you will take a moment and ask yourself where you have the opportunity to sing a new song as well.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year to you and yours.  

Sleep in heavenly peace, indeed.