Ben is new to our congregation. He has piercing eyes, plays the piano, and is the father of a beautiful family with two children. Also, he has a clear, strong voice that is not forced and resonates. Last week he sang a solo as part of the Christmas program - "O Holy Night", my favorite carol for a male voice. Though he is not a professional singer, it was wonderful to hear from him.
As the final verse was about to start, the congregation was unusually quiet. The words to this verse are:
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord, O, Praise his name forever.
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
When Ben reached the line about "Sweet hymns of joy", he started choking up. The emotion of the song and his voice was reaching us in ways a professional singer's voice usually does not. He touched my heart because this song was his "grateful chorus". I sat in my pew awash in Ben's love for Christmas and Christ and the feeling at that moment. Ben almost started to cry, but pulled it together to finish the song masterfully.
After that performance, I would have preferred Ben singing from his heart to any other person singing from memory. Carols become sacred when we lend the power of our lives and our love to them, which is the real spirit of Christmas.
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