I experienced this at the opening and closing of my day.
We gathered together this morning in Josef's room for a Christmas devotional, reading passages of scripture and singing beautiful Christmas hymns. Thoughts entered my mind of Grampa in his younger days and I shed a silent tear of joy as I looked around the room at his posterity that surrounded him. Alison shared her German family tradition of handing out a gift to each family. It was a lovely way to start Christmas Eve, which is the day many European countries celebrate Christmas. We then hit the road, Michael Buble Christmas album blaring, headed for Salzburg.
Lunch was at the Hotel Goldener Hirsch and it was a little bit fancy. The duck was to die for. After that we walked around the square before ending our day with the absolute highlight...
A visit to the St Nikolaus Kapelle in Obendorf where Silent Night was originally composed. About a 30 min drive from Salzburg. It was extremely chilly yet the place was overflowing with people both young and old, little children and grandparents, friends and neighbours, and tourists from all over the world. Like us, some had come to see for the very first time, others enjoy the occassion each and every year. Although the service was mostly in German, you could feel the spirit of the message no matter your native tongue. And despite the cold air, you felt the warmth from within as you listened to the angelic voices. I moved closer to the chapel about half way through the service and I'm glad I did, the singing was magnified, with less pollution of nearby chatting and laughter.
Standing on the side of the chapel I watched 2 old men, I assume locals by their manner, mouth the words to "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht", standing in solemnity and ending the service with the sign of the cross before kissing their fingers and looking up to the heavens, I couldn't help but let my eyes well up and my heart swelled.... I wondered what their stories might be. I watched as they walked away and got lost in the crowd.
All the while, a recollection remained in my mind, of a story I read earlier in the day. "The Christmas Truce", a modern miracle which took place just outside a little town called Ypres in Belgium. On 24 December 1914, in the middle of WWI, the unthinkable happened. Christmas music, sung by German voices, reaches across the fighting plains. Instead of shellfire, explosions and the screams of wounded and dying soldiers, British soldiers hear the sounds of "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" through the cold night of Christmas Eve. Soldiers eventually left their trenches to cross "No Mans Land" in a friendly exchange. Kind words were spoken, hand shakes were common. Gifts were traded and friendships made. The miracle of the moment when both sides mutually decided to stop the war for a while taught both the Germans and the English how equal and human they were. The killing and hatred was forgotten. Eventually, the war resumed, but, for a short time, humanity was the victor. The Christmas truce was a celebration of the human spirit - the true spirit of Christmas.
That is the power of Christmas. That is the Power of music. - Nicole Ziegelbauer
(I can't add a picture!!) :)
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