On This Very Christmas Night

A haunting holiday song

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra's song Christmas Canon Rock stands alone as a work of art. The comments beneath the YouTube video speak for themselves. People say they get goosebumps and cold chills when listening to the powerful vocals of Jennifer Cella.

One person said this song brings grown men to their knees and makes them cry. A woman commented that this was the only song that soothed her crying baby. What is it about this musical rendition that elicits such reactions?

TSO performs other Christmas songs such as O Come all Ye Faithful and O Holy Night but they are instrumental. Even so, when they play the part in O Holy Night where the lyrics are "Fall on your knees" you want to fall and worship the Creator.

Church folk would say the "anointing" from the Holy Spirit is on these musical arrangements. This is understandable with the two traditional carols, but what is it about Ms. Cella singing over and over, "On this night, on this night, on this very Christmas night" that is so moving?

O Holy night-divine

The lyrics to Christmas Canon Rock do not mention Jesus or in any way tell the story of His miraculous birth, but you can feel it. When Jennifer Cella belts out those lyrics, she is feeling it.

I looked up the interpretation of the song and one individual said it was about the night Christ was born and I agree. History tells us that Jesus was not born on December 25.

The date was chosen to observe His coming and take focus away from celebrating the winter solstice. Even so, He was born and there was a Christmas night or rather the eve that gave way to the following morning.

As Ms. Cella gives her all to this song, I get goosebumps, and chills, and I cry. Her heartfelt singing causes me to reflect in time, upon Mary, in labor. The pain and agony of attempting to birth a child under such conditions. She had no doctor, nurse or even female family support.

As I hear "On this night, on this night on this very Christmas night, I feel the intensity in the music and also in Mary as she is breathing, struggling and pushing the Savior of the world through her body.

The angels are rejoicing, as the shepherds and wise men are headed to Bethlehem. There is probably excitement in the atmosphere, though at the time those who experience it are not sure what it is. A Holy-Divine occurrence is about to take place that reconciles man with the Creator.

Christ is born

Women who have given birth understand the urgency during those final moments of labor. The pain in the lower back as well as the abdomen and the sensation as if your bowels have to move that causes you to bear down and push.

On this night, the very first Christmas Eve, turning into the morning, Mary went through all of it. I imagine if there were cattle or farm creatures around, they did lie down or bow their heads as animals can sense atmospheric changes.

A number of years ago it was reported that in the Philippines, all the animals began running towards the hills and only moments later, there was a devastating tsunami.

The Christmas canon lyrics don't utilize scripture or chronicle the Savior's birth as traditional songs do. This is one of those situations where, as a former pastor once said, "It's not what is taught, but what is caught."

This is something you don't get from Sunday school, Christian education, a sermon, a seminary, a CD or a conference or convocation. This cannot be earned with a bachelor's, master's degree, or PhD. This is something that is felt and comes only from revelation from the Holy Spirit.

I call it one of the Heavenly Father's "Easter eggs." Something is hidden in plain sight, only it's in the realm of the spirit. Think of 2 Kings 6:17-20 when Elisha's servant's eyes were opened spiritually and he saw the angelic army that was there all along.

Near the end of the song, as Cella sings one final Christmas night and holds the note, I envision Mary giving one final push, the earth shudders, the angels and animals holding their breath, and then- a baby cries. It's Christmas, and Christ is born.