For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
In Upland, Indiana, there is a fascinating tradition at Taylor University that began in the 80s. Once each year, on the Friday before exams, they have a “Silent Night” men’s basketball game. Students dress in outrageous costumes and pack the stands. But there is complete silence until the 10th point is scored. At that point, they erupt in cheers at an unparalleled moment. At game’s end, they sing Silent Night together before continuing on to a campus-wide Christmas celebration.
You can check out the ESPN feature on the 2015 event here:
In many ways, this silent start is a lot like Advent, a time when we are watching and waiting, with bated breath. It is a time for us to focus on what unfolds before us, carefully observing each detail, eager to respond. As this time draws to a close, we find ourselves on Christmas Eve.
Many of us think of Christmas worship as a quiet time. We sing carols about a baby in the manger who doesn’t cry, and a “silent night” when “all is calm.” Truly these images bring us into a sense of holy awe and reverence for the importance of this night.
But Christmas worship is also about the joy that this good news brings, so perhaps we can take a few cues from Taylor University, and as we light candles that fill the room and declare that Christ is born, imagine that 10th point has been made, and erupt with singing “Joy to the World!”
After all, this is news that changes lives! It is the night we have been waiting for! Christ’s birth deserves our unreserved revelry. So smile, laugh, cheer, and even clap in celebration. And in doing so, we will be living into those words given to us by the prophet to go out in joy, a joy that will radiate from us into all the world, and just might make Christmas a bit brighter for those around us.
Written by Rev. Elizabeth Lovell Milford
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