'Til He Appeared and the Soul Felt Its Worth

As we are gliding effortlessly through our holiday season (effortless, right?), I am enjoying Christmas carols on the radio and on my computer. I love the holidays and Christmas and all the “wretched excess”, the music and all the love and glowing and memories…

And as I delight in the music of the season, I remember that some of the most beautiful music has been written in the name of Christ. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” notwithstanding.

Now, I’m not particularly preachy or churchy, but I find a lot of good, interesting, and weird things to ponder in religion. And Christian music can be very helpful for pensive, pondering people like us.

(Granted, not all hymns are lovely. Maybe someday I will launch a comparison of the dirges of praise we used to sing in the Presbyterian church, the “plunging around in a bloody fountain” war cries of the Baptist church, and the hypnotic modern rhythms of latter-day community churches. But that’s another topic.)

In one Christmas song, O Holy Night, I noticed again the phrase, “’til he appeared and the soul felt its worth.”

I started to think about that. I frequently instruct my clients to focus on their divine value, that aspect of themselves that means they are worthy of love, joy, and abundance, just because they are. Because they exist, they were born, God put them here on this earth in this life.

The song’s lyrics go on to say, “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” In the strictest Christian interpretation, that might mean that Jesus brought hope to a hopeless world, and that his name should be exalted.

The way I see it, Jesus came to say, “You are worthy” to the world and this was the hope he offered. “No longer must you pine in sin and error. Remember your soul’s worth and rejoice.” That's why Jesus represented hope. And you do too.

Because you are worthy.

Please let that sink in. And look under the tree—or in the sky or in the eyes of those you love—and find the gifts of love, joy, and abundance that you came here to claim.

May the peace of the season be yours!
Susan K.

(c) 2007, Susan K. Morrow