Hear the Angels Sing

A holiday invitation to Saugus children to participate on Christmas Eve in re-enacting the nativity of Jesus

By The Rev. John Beach

St. John’s Episcopal Church

  “Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.”—Winston Churchill

  “The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart. We sightless children had the best of eyes that day in our hearts and in our finger-tips.”—Helen Keller

This year has been exhausting, and often demoralizing. The wars in the Middle East, Ukraine, and in the U.S. Congress have had echo conflicts around many of our dinner tables. In the midst of global, municipal and domestic turmoil, we are silent for a moment at Christmas and allow this Holy Day to touch us and reorient our imagination.

In 1849, twenty miles from here in Wayland, Mass., Edmond Spear was serving as a Unitarian pastor. He was a fierce abolitionist, and had incurred the wrath of his congregation by preaching forcefully on the subject of slavery. He was suffering from a crippling depression in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War and found it impossible to conduct worship. He had experienced personal tragedy in his life and spent months unable to get out of his bed.

As Christmas approached, he began to write poems which expressed his longing for the presence of God. Although most of his poems have been lost to memory, one remains as one of the most well-known Christmas Carols, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

The carol stands in contrast to most of the other commonly-sung carols. It does not mention the birth of Jesus. There is no mention of Bethlehem, Mary, Joseph, Magi, donkeys, shepherds, or mangers. He was inspired by hearing the angels sing in Massachusetts. I am particularly moved by second and third verses which are rarely sung.

But with the woes of sin and strife

The world has suffered long;

Beneath the angel-strain have rolled

Two thousand years of wrong;

And man, at war with man, hears not

The love-song which they bring; –

Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife,

And hear the angels sing!

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,

Whose forms are bending low,

Who toil along the climbing way

With painful steps and slow,

Look now! for glad and golden hours

Come swiftly on the wing; –

Oh, rest beside the weary road

And hear the angels sing!

Those of us who are battling anxiety and cynicism, stop for a moment to hear the angels sing. In spite of the fact that we are a culture which no longer practices communal religious observances, I invite all of you to join us this year to hear the angels. Perhaps, this year, you might participate in the tradition of your ancestors to congregate at this holy time.

At St. John’s Episcopal Church, we are mindful of this conflict for persons of faith as well as for those who do not consider themselves religious. Perhaps, this year, we might consider the better angels within us calling us to find courage, compassion, and patience with ourselves and each other.

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, at 4:30 p.m. St. John’s Episcopal Church will be re-enacting the nativity of Jesus in a family service. If you know of any children who would like to play a role in this service, please let me know, and we would be thrilled to include them. I am reminded of the observation by Laura Ingalls Wilder, “Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.”

We will also be gathering for a quiet and reflective Eucharist at 9 p.m. that night as well as 10 a.m. on Christmas morning. All are welcome to join us. I wish you all a joyous Christmas.

Peace,

John+

The Rev. John Beach

St. John’s Episcopal Church

If you are interested, please contact The Rev. John Beach at St. John’s Episcopal Church (8 Prospect St., Saugus, MA 01906) – revjbeach@gmail.com – church office phone: 781 233 1242.