All I Want For Christmas!
I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true oh
All I want for Christmas is you
Dear People,
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
This Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem! We continue to rejoice in the celebration of God’s greatest gift of coming down from heaven to be born into our world. By His birth over 2,000 years ago, we celebrate the Christmas liturgies through singing the special sacred melodies of the Divine Liturgy and the Christmas hymns and songs.
The holy music reminds us of the events in Bethlehem. The prayers, music, and foods also bring to life our memories of all our family’s celebrations. When we hear the words and music, we recall the faces of grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends living and those in heaven are also brought to mind. In similarity to the Christmas hymn God is with Us, they are with us.
Here am I with the children God has given me, for God is with us. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, for God is with us.
For a child is born to us; a son is given to us, for God is with us (God is with Us)
The traditional Christmas songs and new popular ones grow each year. Almost every musician produces a Christmas song or album. Silent Night or even I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas were the most popular songs in the age of records, radio, and television.
The number one Christmas song from this year again is All I Want For Christmas is You! It was written and sung by Mariah Carey. It was released as a 45 rpm vinyl record single in 1994. The vinyl record sold more than 10 million copies. Like many Christmas songs, it is more popular now on the radio than when it was released thirty years age. The song has been downloaded 2 billion times from the internet.
It is a joyful song which calls to mind everything that happens on Christmas. The sight of the Christmas trees, the appearance of Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas, and receiving presents are not as important as people who join us to celebrate Christmas. Without gathering our loved ones or our church family, the celebration is a little less special. Like the Holy family in the manger in the cave outside of Bethlehem, it would have been lonely without the shepherds the three Kings from the East.
The All I Want for Christmas song falls a little short in remembering the deepest reason for all the Christmas joy which is even more than the joy of gathering together. The current hit Christmas single does not mention the birth of Jesus, but the record has a surprise twist.
To find Jesus, you have to flip the Mariah Carey’s original 45 RPM vinyl single record to side B. On the other side of the vinyl disk, Carey sings Joy to the World. Joy to the World is the most popular English Christmas Hymn. It’s good news of the birth of Christ resounding through the earth has been sung for over three centuries. The inspiration for the Christmas hymn is from the Book of Psalms attributed to King David.
The verses of Joy to the World repeat the sounding joy again and again until everyone and even the hills and fields sing out the wonders of his love. We are called to sing and to go out from our celebration to spread the news that Jesus was born and we glorify Him with our words and actions. With each passing year, we do our best to keep the message of Jesus’s birth fresh.
From all of us at the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, we thank you for your prayers and support during the past year. And, we wish you a blessed Christmas season and a Happy and Blessed New Year.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend William C. Skurla, D.D.
Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh
Joy to the world then we sing
Let the earth receive her King
Joy to the world then we sing
Let the angel voices ring
Joy to the World
