Last Thursday night, after watching our Kaithyn’s third-grade class musical, I hurried home. Excitedly, I put on Channel 8. Andrea Bocelli was doing his Christmas special and I didn’t want to miss a note.

I was not disappointed. He did a lot of regular Christmas standards, many in duet. Natalie Cole, Reba McEntire, and a newcomer Katherine Jenkins. He even did “Jingle Bells” with the Muppets.

There were a few songs that stood out, and get played over and over on my car CD player. “Holy Night” is my favorite, regardless of the language. His “Cantique de Noel” was marvelous. I didn’t think I would like it, but his rendition of “What Child Is This?” continues to grow on me; it may be my favorite version. He teams with a newcomer, Katherine Grant, to do a new song, “I Believe”. And perhaps the most dynamic song was when he sang “The Lord’s Prayer” with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. I don’t believe I’ve heard a better version, or a more moving one.

Great music always moves us, as many of you who are here to hear our great choir can attest. As great as they are, and as much as I enjoyed Andrea Bocelli, they are no match for what the shepherds heard on that night long ago:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those
whom He favors.” (Luke 2:14 NRSV)

Can you imagine choir practice in heaven?

The shepherds had never heard such sounds. The music moved them: “We’ve got to get to Bethlehem and see what is going on!”

Psalmist wrote, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” (Psalm 40:3) And into each of our hearts, this song has come, telling us of the great love of God and what that love means.

During this Christmas season, and each day, may the song move us to “see the great things God’s love is doing.”

May your Christmas be blessed.
-Jim