O Holy Night

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining.
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born!
Oh night divine! Oh night! Oh night divine!

Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,
and in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise his holy name.
Christ is the lord, that ever, ever praise we.
Noel! Noel! Oh night;oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!
Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs, and there are several reasons why I love it so much. But this year particularly, I love the sense of hope that this song has. This has been a rough year in many ways. But tonight is about hope. The hope that the birth of Christ brings that things can be different. The hope that the bad in the world does not win. This song reminds me that the root of the situation is that the presence of God changes everything. That sin does not win. That Christ came to be human among us, that God lived with us, and faced the challenges we faced and showed us how to live. That no matter what bad things happen in the world, God loves us that much. So tonight, whatever happened this year is past. This is a time of hope and love and moving forward. Christ is here! Let's celebrate his birth and the life that begins with that birth. Merry Christmas!

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