Father Joseph Mohr sat in silence in a pew by himself on a quiet Christmas Eve morning at the St. Nicholas Church, the parish church of Oberndorf, Austria. Since the church had been dedicated to the saint, the Catholic priest had always thought his church was special, but this Christmas Eve seemed rather disappointing. As the priest prepared for the upcoming Midnight Mass, he quietly prayed for heavenly peace. He had already finished his homily.
The day before, he had visited a sick child in the Austrian countryside. Although the child might have been any other babe, Father Joseph regarded him as important as the Christ child. He especially liked the scripture that taught people that whatever you did for one of the least of these that you did for Christ, especially caring for the sick. He tried to uphold that scripture in his everyday life. The innocence of the sick baby’s eyes made him see Jesus on the cold, wintry day. He prayed for healing and asked God to bless the family and their child amid the snowy winter hillside.
Now, a day later, when he tried to play his church organ, he discovered chewed holes in the bellows. A distorted sound came from the instrument. With a closer look behind the organ, it seemed like mice had chewed through the bellows that were used to supply the instrument with wind. Although he tried to fix the bellows, the music was stilled. He also noticed that water from the nearby Salzach River had flooded the church behind the organ, damaged its parts, and made them icy.
“What are we going to do?” Father Joseph said. Memories of past beautiful Christmas services filled his head. If Midnight Mass was without music, he imagined the parishioners’ complaints. “It’s only hours until Christmas Eve service. How will we celebrate Christmas?”
He went into his office to find rags to clean up the flood water and mice droppings in the sanctuary. Instead, he wished he was playing glorious carols on the organ in honor of the Savior’s birth. So much for a very merry Christmas. His congregation would be downcast. He had established a yearly tradition of sharing a new carol.
“Maybe if I write a new song, Franz could play the guitar instead of the organ for the Christmas Eve Mass,” he wondered aloud. “Then I could raise money with the Christmas Eve offering to buy a new organ for the church.”
As he made his way back into his office, he considered the sickly baby he had met just yesterday. He dipped his pen in the ink jar on his desk and scribbled a batch of lyrics onto a crumpled piece of paper. The words rang true in his heart, but he wasn’t sure that anyone else would find them especially original. He recounted the Christmas story from the Bible with rhyme, and he thought the words would sing well.
The lyric read:
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon virgin,
Mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
After he finished the lyric, Father Joseph knew that the new song needed music. He didn’t think he was able to finish the music in time for the midnight service on his own. He really needed some help.
So, Father Joseph ran off to his friend, schoolteacher, organist, and choirmaster, Franz Gruber. Although Franz played the organ for the church, he also played the guitar.
When Father Joseph arrived at Franz’s home, he brushed the falling snow from his shoulders. He knocked on the door and called “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas to you, my dear friend!” said Franz, as he opened the door. He took Joseph’s coat, hat, and scarf from him and hung them on a hook.
“Can you finish my song before service tonight?” Father Joseph said. “It would be such a Christmas gift! Our organ broke, and I thought you could finish my lyric with something special on the guitar. I can’t do it myself.”
“Finish your song?” Franz said. “My wife was just about to serve Christmas Eve dinner before Mass.”
“I don’t mean to beg, but . . .” Father Joseph pleaded. “I really need your help.”
“It probably won’t take too long,” Franz said. “I guess all the songs I planned to play on the organ this year will have to be saved for next year.”
Sitting by the fireplace, Franz took the crumpled piece of paper with the scribbled lyric from Joseph and began to hum a melody while strumming the guitar. Father Joseph thought it sounded like the most peaceful melody that he had ever heard. It was easy to sing and quite memorable. As Father Joseph paced back and forth in Franz’s home, Franz finally finished the music to the lyric. Joseph thought the song was such an answered prayer.
“Do you think it’s too simple?” Franz asked Father Joseph in a moment of doubt.
“Oh, it’s gorgeous, Franz,” Father Joseph said with a tear in his eye. “The congregation will love it.”
With relief, Father Joseph warmed his hands at the fireplace, put his coat and hat back on, and shuffled to the door. He wrapped his scarf around his neck.
“See you later tonight,” Franz said to him. “We’ll make everything work out somehow.”
Father Joseph walked back to his church singing, “Silent night, holy night . . .” It did seem like a holy night to him despite all the turmoil.
At the beginning of the Midnight Mass, Father Joseph prayed silently to God, worried that the congregation would reject the new hymn on the guitar. After all, they were expecting to hear the organ at its best. At least the church looked gorgeous, decorated in garland and holly wreaths. Candles were stuck in each of the pews for the congregants to light as they worshipped.
As the church members bustled to their seats, they did seem to have a bit of excitement and anticipation of what surprises Christmas might bring them. Then, Franz burst in the side door of the church with his guitar and family, ready to play the new hymn. Joseph decided to present the song first, and then give his homily.
“Merry Christmas! I would like to now play a new Christmas hymn written by myself and Franz,” Father Joseph announced. “Since our organ is broken, Franz decided to play the guitar. Sometimes, new songs come from the most unlikely places at the right time when we need them the most.”
Father Joseph watched the congregation squirm in their seats. He was worried at what their response might be, but he hoped for the best.
“What happened to the organ?” one man in a black suit snapped.
“Shh,” another lady in a red and gold Christmas gown whispered. “He’s about to play his new hymn.”
Then, as if angels had descended from heaven to sing with them, Father Joseph and Franz performed “Silent Night” for the first time. Joseph felt nervous down to his toes.
“Silent night, holy night,” Father Joseph sang as Franz strummed the guitar. Franz sang some spontaneous harmonies that the priest loved.
Father Joseph tried not to well up with tears. It sounded so angelic. He thought the song felt simple, but timeless. He sensed a special presence of peace in the sanctuary. One at a time, while the priest and choirmaster sang, the congregation lit candles that were stuffed in the pews. Small children stood in awe as their parents struck matches for flames. The church had never been so beautiful and serene. The pews glowed with Christmas love.
The Strassers, a family of travelling glovemakers, sat in the front pews, filled with tears. Father Joseph knew the family was known for their singing and glad they were in attendance for the first performance of his hymn.
“The song makes me think of our children when they were younger,” Mr. Strasser said to his wife. “How thoughtful of Father Joseph and Franz to write such a lovely new carol for Christmas.”
As Father Joseph and Franz finished the carol, Joseph cleared his throat. He was nervous to ask for more money than the congregation might have during the holidays to buy a new organ.
“Now that we have heard the beautiful new hymn on guitar, please give generously for us to be able to buy a new organ,” Father Joseph pleaded. “God loves a cheerful giver!”
As the offering plate made its way throughout the congregation, the Strasser family dug into their pockets, and each gave an offering, even the children. The rest of the congregation dropped dollars and coins onto the plate as well.
As Father Joseph looked at the offering plate when it returned to him, he noticed a major donation or two. Mr. Strasser smiled with joy at Father Joseph, who was so surprised at the large amount of money in the offering. After he gave the benediction for the service, Father Joseph watched as his congregants went home, singing the new hymn to themselves. He hoped they remembered every word in their hearts.
“Could we please have a copy of the new hymn, Father Joseph?” Mr. Strasser said to the priest after the service. “My family and I sing folk songs, and I would love to champion ‘Silent Night.’”
After that night, the hymn was so well-loved that it spread to neighboring villages across Austria and eventually Europe, much to the credit of the Strasser family, who often sang the song with harmonies as their father sold gloves. The family even performed it for King Frederick William IV of Prussia.
As time passed, the Rainers, another family of singers, performed the song often as well, eventually at Trinity Church in New York City. Father Joseph had never anticipated “Silent Night” would receive so much recognition. He was grateful every time he received word that someone else had performed his hymn. His church became known as the Silent Night Chapel.
As tradition has it, the song is now sung on Christmas Eve all over the world at the stroke of midnight by candlelight. It offers a peaceful blessing in tumultuous times. Everyone needs a silent night, but most of all at Christmas.
Copyright 2019 Jennifer Waters
