Good News of Great Joy for All the People

The sounds of the holidays…I can hear the bells ringing and the Heavenly Hosts singing Alleluia…I can hear these things in joyous memories from Christmases past. 

I am a late deafened adult.  I have been deaf for approximately six years now, but I still associate the holidays with those auditory pleasures.  And that can be an obstacle to overcome when others are currently enjoying those sleigh bells jingling, ring-tingle, tingling, too.

Just last weekend, I dialed in YouTube on my iPad and selected an Elvis Christmas album.  With modern technology, I can Bluetooth the music from my iPad directly to my cochlear implants and while music doesn’t sound like I remember it from years gone by, I can sometimes make out the lyrics and follow along.  On this particular day, I was able to understand the lyrics to several Elvis songs including ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.’

I don’t think that I had ever really considered the words to ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ before, but on this day this one line stuck with me:

And the thing that will make them ring
Is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

Later that day, my wife and I attended a holiday party at the home of some old friends.  There were twenty or so people attending and as such, there were likely ten separate conversations occurring at the same time.  For a person with cochlear implants, this situation creates ‘functional deafness’.  It isn’t quiet by any means, but rather, it is so loud that words are indistinguishable.  Recognizing a familiar situation, I made my way to the buffet line and quickly settled into a secluded corner with a plate of holiday treats.  I found myself watching the body language of the party guests and entertained myself by assigning my own dialogue to the interactions playing out before me.  It was entertaining, but also a rather lonely exercise.

That evening, my wife and I had errands to run and while we were out we stopped for dinner.  The restaurant was packed, and the noise level was high.   I found myself again slipping into an isolated situation as ‘functional deafness’ made communicating difficult. 

The next morning, I received a note from my minister explaining that there would be no sermon that day because the worship time would be filled with the sounds of a Christmas Cantata.  Attached were the printed versions of the scripture and the prayers so that I could follow along with that portion of the service.  Would I be attending that day? 

I replied back that I would not be attending because I cannot hear live music and it would make me sad to see (but not hear) the choir sing so many beautiful Christmas Carols. 

When my wife suggested that we attend a local service together at a different church, I agreed.  Busy schedules required that we travel separately to the service.  My wife arrived first and found a seat in the back.  When I arrived to join her, I was a little disappointed to be seated too far away to effectively read the minister’s lips.  So, after a few minutes of picking up a word or phrase on occasion, I turned my attention to the bulletin and decided to read the scripture for the day. 

Those born during the Eisenhower administration can probably relate to what went through my mind when I saw the scripture…

Linus. 

In the animated cartoon, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’, Charlie shouts “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?’  Linus then proceeds to recite scripture from the Book of Luke that tells the Christmas story.  Sunday’s scripture was the Christmas story from the Book of Luke.

I was reading those familiar words and if I am honest, as I did so, I was feeling rather sorry for myself.  The minister was speaking but he sounded a lot like Charlie Brown’s teacher giving a lecture.  Waa, waa, waa. It seemed as if the entire weekend had been Charlie Brown’s teacher lecturing on a loop.

And then it happened…rather clearly, I could hear the minister saying the phrase ‘for everyone’ and it caught my attention.  I looked up, focused on his face and strained to read his lips as he said, ‘The angel appeared to the shepherds who were living in the field and said,

“I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people”.’

And it made me think that the Good News might even apply to the disabled…to borrow a phrase from the minister,

‘All the people.  Yes, even you!’

I left the chapel last Sunday with a little more spring in my step having been reminded that Linus’ message from the Book of Luke is for everyone…even the deaf.  And I put that message on my heart.

I look forward to making some Christmas bells ring this year because…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and soon the bells will start.
And the thing that will make them ring
Is the carol that I’ll sing
Right within my heart.

This holiday season, give the gift of music.  Let your heart sing and soon the bells will start…

Thanks for listening and happy holidays!

Your friend,

KBM

Kevin Medlin
kevin@mysilentpew.com

Luke 2: 8-14 KJV

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.