It’s not as if God empties His heaven of a host of angels and sends them to commune with unsuspecting human beings in every generation. In fact, there is no record of such an event in the Bible except in Luke 2:13-14: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel (who had been speaking), praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” It was the occasion of the birth of God’s son, and it was a display of celebration in Heaven and on earth, orchestrated by God Himself. No yard ornaments, however bright, will ever equal it. The words of the angels interpret for us the meaning of the events in Bethlehem. They linked the humble birth to God, and confirmed to Mary and Joseph the divine presence in their little son.

Those same words have been the inspiration for countless songs among Christians for hundreds of years. Christmas music has proven to be one of the most unifying gifts to the universal church, and most of the carols are inspired by the angels’ visit to the shepherds. From Silent Night : “Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from Heaven afar; Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,” to Hark the Herald Angels Sing, two of the most popular Christmas songs throughout the world, the presence of the angels inspires devotion and joy. When Pope John Paul II preached to the youth in Central Park, New York in 1995, the hundreds of people attending spontaneously sang Silent Night in many different languages, but all sharing the tune. It was in October.

Surely God knew when He sent His angels that night in Bethlehem to a few shepherds on a hillside, that the impact of such an event would have a lasting effect, and that it would reflect His own joy and participation in the lives of believers. Sometimes the appearance of the angels seems like nothing more than a show, but it has proven to be much, much more, as a lasting bond among Christians when the churches seem to have little else in common. God sent His own house-hold to let us know the truth about the birth of His son. God celebrated and set the example that has never disappeared. It is indeed a joy to contemplate all the goodness He has given us to share His very life, and to sing together as a family.

Love in Him,

Prue