The weary world rejoices

One of my favorite Christmas hymns (though one that's a bit challenging to sing, especially as a congregation) is O Holy Night. It's not in our hymnals, but I get to hear it on rotation on the radio often enough. I love the tune, but perhaps even more than that are these lines from the first verse - "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices". 

Photo by Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash

Perhaps it is my own weariness this year, living as we are through the ups and downs of almost two years of a global pandemic (and the stress of a big life transition, and the usual end-of-year busy-ness), but I'm noticing others of our beloved carols that express a similar sentiment.

O Little Town of Bethlehem includes imagery of this mix of emotions - "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight."

And, powerfully, verse 3 of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear - "And you, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow: look now, for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing; oh, rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing!"

Even secular carols find this thread, whether singing about a blue Christmas shrouded by loneliness, or the pain of separation at being home the holidays "only in my dreams." 

There is always weariness and pain in the world, even (or especially) at Christmas. No amount of holiday cheer or sweet cookies or twinkling light strands can gloss over this reality. Perhaps you are wearied by grief, or illness, or financial uncertainty, or strained relationships. Perhaps life's crushing load has been relentless, so much that it feels impossible to muster up the joy of the season.

The good news of great joy we hear this Christmas is that this is precisely the world into which God is born: weary, hurting, troubling, uncertain. To you is born a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Among us has the Word become flesh and come to dwell. In our weariness and heartache, we have all received grace upon grace. To a world in pain, crushed by burdens, weary and sad, love is born. Rest in this promise, dear ones - God's peace and grace are for you. Hear the angels sing the good news - Jesus is born for you. A thrill of hope, indeed.