"A Weary World Rejoices," Even with Christmas in Chaos
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Isn’t it marvelous that every December, we hear songs all over the place that proclaim Jesus’ birth? In every store, radio and TV commercial, listeners (regardless of their faith) are reminded of the coming Messiah! Maybe the song “O Holy Night” has crossed your airwaves, but did you ever stop to consider the words? One line in particular stands out to me: “a weary world rejoices.”
And boy do we feel weary this Christmas.
This has been a difficult year. It’s been a year of loss for all of us, whether that was a job, a loved one, a relationship, or our sense of peace and security. As we head into the Christmas season, it can be difficult to muster up feelings of holiday joy.
And you know what? That’s okay. We don’t have to have it all together, or even feel particularly festive, to feel that thrill of joy and hope at our Savior’s birth. In fact, I think these moments of pain make the miracle of Jesus’ life and death feel all the more relevant and important. For what else could make us feel such awe and wonder, even in the midst of trouble?
What Song Is This Line From?
The line “a weary world rejoices,” comes from the Christmas carol O Holy Night. Below is the stanza in full:
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appears 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; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!
What a beautiful reminder of the splendor of our Savior’s birth. That after the world lay in sin and darkness, it was struck with a “thrill of hope.” The birth of any baby is an exciting moment, but the song goes on to remind us that this event was not a single, joyful incident. The birth of Christ brought about a “new and glorious” day.
Who Wrote O Holy Night?
O Holy Night was originally a French Christmas carol. It was written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure, and the music was written by Adolphe Charles Adams. The pair were not exactly who you’d expect to be writing a timeless Christmas carol; Adams was Jewish and de Roquemaure, never an ardent church-follower, would go on to leave the faith altogether a few years later, explains Belief.net. As a result of his departure, the French Catholic church changed their minds about the once-beloved song, declaring it “unfit for church services because of its lack of musical taste and ‘total absence of the spirit of religion.’"
But the song was not gone for good. A few years later, American writer John Sullivan Dwight translated the song and brought it to the States. It gained popularity for several years and has since been the subject of at least two popular myths.
It’s rumored that a French soldier in the trenches began singing O Holy Night (along with several other carols) and kicked off the Christmas Eve Armistice of World War I. Historians to this day still debate exactly what happened, but the story goes that French, British, and Belgian troops lay down their weapons and mingled with their German counterparts. They may have even started a friendly soccer game.
The second rumor is that O Holy Night was the first song to be sung over the radio. At the turn of the century, radio waves were useful mostly for sending messages via Morse code. But in 1906, after countless hours spent working at it, Reginald Fessenden allegedly held the first “Christmas concert broadcast,” Ilana Reimer writes. Fessenden read the Christmas story in Luke and sang O Holy Night to countless (shocked) listeners.
However, this story has also had plenty of scrutiny, and NPR reports that for such a momentous achievement, there is little record of the event. Regardless, O Holy Night is a song that continues to captivate listeners, reminding them of the sheer wonder of Jesus’ birth.
What Do We Rejoice In?
So why does this line stick out? Whether it was directed at soldiers in the trenches of WWI, or us at the tail end of an isolating and divisive year, what does it look like for a weary world to rejoice? It’s no secret that our modern Christmas is full of worldly pleasures. We tend to get so focused on the gifts, the cookies, and the lights that we lose sight of why we are really celebrating. And on a year like this, when we are all in such desperate need of joy, Christmas festivities can feel like a welcome relief from boredom and fear.
Take a moment to think: what makes you happy? For me it’s the first sip of a cup of coffee, my dog happily spinning in circles when I come home, and time spent with friends I rarely get to see. But take this a step further. What gives you a sense of awe? What makes you stop in your tracks and take notice – something so incredible you leave your phone in your pocket and just soak it in? Perhaps it’s a sunset, or the mountaintop view at the end of a long hike, or holding a brand-new baby.
The birth of our Savior surpasses all of those feelings.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/udra
Why Can a “Weary World” Rejoice?
Even the worldly joys of Christmas, while wonderful, are temporary. I love sitting by my tree and enjoying the lights or opening the door of my coffee-themed advent calendar. Those are good things! But if I try to use them as a shield from the brokenness of this year, they will collapse. No amount of hot coco or Hallmark movies can make me truly rejoice; and to try to muster that joy artificially feels futile.
That’s where Jesus comes in.
He knows how tired we are this year and that we need something to give us true hope. He reminds us, both through His Word and by inspiring talented songwriters, that the only thing we can cling to for hope is Him. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What does that verse mean for us? We learn from Genesis 3 and the fall of man that all are broken and sinful. Because of the curse of Adam, we will all experience pain and separation and loss. That’s just the reality of this broken world, whether there’s a pandemic or not. And while small moments of happiness provide a temporary relief from that, nothing can truly bring us peace and hope and joy like the gift of God.
That gift came to us in the form of His Son, Jesus. Born to a virgin in the humblest of spots, Jesus would go on to live a perfect, sinless life and die a death that He didn’t deserve. He defeated death and was raised from the dead three days later, all so that we could have a hope and a future! This world is not our home, and no matter how difficult things get, we know that Christ has fought for us. He has already won the battle. All we have to do is put our faith in Him.
None of that would be possible without Jesus’ birth, which we celebrate at Christmas. Because of that, a world weary of pandemic, weary of injustice, weary of political corruption and earthly disasters, can take a deep breath. Because there is hope, and because of that, we can rejoice in any circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
A Prayer for Joy This Christmas
Dear God,
Lord, I thank you for this Christmas season. I thank you for the simple beauty of Christmas decorations, for family recipes and time spent with friends, whether virtually or in person. I thank you for the ways you’ve blessed us and kept us this past year. But Lord, if I’m honest, this year has been tough. Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit would be at work within me. Help me to focus on the miracle of Jesus’ birth, and remind me daily that this world is not my home. When I feel overwhelmed or worried, I pray that you would quiet my heart, and fill me with your peace. God, the reason for our Christmas celebrations is nothing short of miraculous. Thank you for sending your Son to give us a hope and a future! You are in control God, and your plans are perfect. I thank you for watching over my life, and I ask all of these things in your holy name,
Amen.
Approach the Throne with Confidence
As if the miracle of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection wasn’t enough, we can also rejoice because we serve a God who gets it. Jesus was both fully God, and fully human. He felt the same temptations and pains that we do. He felt sorrow at the broken state of the world.
Hebrews 4:15-16 reminds us “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” If we are in Christ, then we can approach with confidence. He is ready to listen and strengthen us to walk the path before us.
This year, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the brokenness of the world, take heart. Jesus understands. He’s felt it too, and He’s eager to hear your prayers. We are blessed to be able to come to Him whenever we want, with whatever concerns we have. What better Christmas gift could we ask for than peace?
Sources
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/lucigerma
Bethany Pyle is the editor for Bible Study Tools.com and the design editor for Crosscards.com. She has a background in journalism and a degree in English from Christopher Newport University. When not editing for Salem, she enjoys good fiction and better coffee.
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ!
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