I've mentioned these guys before. I love the way they experiment with music and the way their lyrics often come straight from Scripture and always minister to my soul.
This song in particular, from their album, Ghosts Upon the Earth, is so beautiful. So, so beautiful.
We live in a world of division and strife and pride that condescends and marginalizes others. Our churches are rife with division and strife and prideful condescension. There is good in the world, and our churches do much good in the world too. But. Until Jesus Christ returns to restore all things, our jaded and weary hearts need healing and hope.
To me, part of the message this song speaks is, Don't bicker about theological tripe and other such nonsense derived from generational differences, cultural differences, political differences, lifestyle differences... Being "right" is nothing without love.
As our nation celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this coming Monday, it is a good time to look back to one of King's most powerful writings, his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." While sitting in jail for peaceful protest in 1963, King received a letter from local Birmingham clergymen who opposed his methods. King responded with a letter even more poignant and perceptive than his usual.
Last year, I wrote about lessons we should all learn from this letter, particularly in light of our role as Christians in our acrid present-day political atmosphere. Here are those six lessons:
1. Recognize the good will of those who oppose you.
2. Sympathize with your opponent before attacking them.
3. We are interconnected, whether we like it or not.
On Christmas Eve, my mom and I went to the candlelight service at Christ Church Plano, where I regularly attend. It was beautiful, as always. Of the music that evening, my two favorites were Christina Rosetti's "Christmas Eve" (enjoy this performance by the choir and orchestra at First United Methodist in Denton) and the soprano soloist who sang the Wexford Carol. Divine.
Can't beat this rendition by Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma.
The music, however, is not what I primarily wanted to share with you (though I couldn't help linking to videos of those ancient hymns). Classical choral music is a favorite of mine in general, and especially when it comes to Christmas music, so it's no surprise that I found the music from that evening impactful.
Even more impactful for me that night was Father David's sermon; I found it fresh and refreshing, which is no small thing for a Christmas message. The text was familiar, Luke 2:8-14, where angels announce the birth of the Savior to lowly shepherds (imagine if when the 'Royal Baby' arrived the first birth announcements Kate and William sent went out to construction workers). "Fear not" are the first words proclaiming the birth of Jesus, and that's what Fr David focused on in his message.
It was powerful. I'd never associated that particular instance of those words, "Fear not," with Jesus. Angles, far from being cute, must be terrifying because they always have to assure the recipients of their messages that they need not fear. So since angles are always saying something along the lines of "Fear not," I've never really thought anything of it; in this instance in Luke, I've always (accurately) associated those words with the messengers, but the (now obvious) connection to the Message, Jesus, never crossed my mind before.
"Fear not" was a beautiful message for me this Christmas Eve. I'm not an especially fearful person by nature, but Christmas is not my most favorite time of the year; this year in particular has asked a lot of this introvert. In addition to the socially and emotionally taxing elements of the holiday, Christmas has, in my view, never quite been able to stand up to the power of Easter. I have a difficult time really understanding the point of Christmas, which is terrible, I know... and probably has more to do with the family drama that can often surround my holiday season more than anything else.
Well, all that is to say, "Fear not" is a good Christmastide message for me, but it is also a good reminder of the anti-fear Life Christ came to bring to those who cry out to him for Peace any day of the year.
For these reasons I wanted to share this message with you all... on the off chance that I'm not alone in my reason-for-the-season struggle.
