Barnes: Familiar carols to be sung often, with thanksgiving

Let’s celebrate Christmas carols!

Christmas carols like “Silent Night,” “The First Noel,” “Joy to the World,” and “O, Holy Night,” and all the beautiful carols we remember and sing silently, or maybe aloud, when we hear them on the radio or YouTube, are our Advent subject today.

I thank God for all those Christmas times we sang the carols at church, and in school, during December, long years ago. “Jingle Bells” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” were exciting and fun, too; and they are now. The Christmas carols, though, bring familiar comfort, restored peace, and remembered and welcome tranquility, and they inspire adoration of God. They ignite a longing to worship again the Savior born in the “little town of Bethlehem.” The carols revive the joyous expectation which our singing about His Advent awakens in our spirits. I love singing them, and even more so hearing them sung, (perhap especially because I am not a gifted singer myself).

It saddens me that the younger generations, those of my children and grandchildren, did not sing the Christmas carols as often when they were growing up, as my generation and earlier ones sang them, at school, or even in worship services.

Right here, I want to appeal to all ministers of music and choir directors, and to all leaders of congregational singing, to help us to sing the traditional, time-honored carols, our Christmas hymns of faith, each Sunday of this Advent season. We get the chance to sing them only at Christmastime. Help us to revive our faith in this Advent season through their beautiful, sacred lyrics of the birth of our Savior, and to nourish our spirits through their devout and joyous melodies!

Parents and grandparents, let’s listen with our families to the Christmas carols at home, more times and more intentionally, this December. Few favorite Christmas experiences, like decorated Christmas trees, festive wreaths with red bows on doors and windows, the exciting Christmas parade, snow falling on Christmas Eve, or even Santa Claus’ magical visit with reindeer and toys, will linger in the hearts and souls of our children, or the rest of us, as meaningfully as will the carols of faith. All of us, young and old alike, glean renewed hope from their sacred promises of holy light, good will, and joy.

If you play the piano or guitar, the flute or violin, or another musical instrument, enjoy doing that again, as we sing with thankful hearts the glorious carols, at home and in worship.

Let’s sing! Our choices are many. As a child, I loved “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” I love it still. And now, I can discern Phillips Brooks’ (1835-1893) inspiration more fully. Read, and play or sing, and meditate on this lovely carol’s simple, yet profound, message of Christmas:

“O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love.

O Morning Stars, together, Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, And peace to men on earth!

“How silently, how silently The wondrous Gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us today!

We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, O come to us, Our Lord Immanuel!”

Thanks be to God.