By Glenn Dromgoole

The popular Christmas carol, “O Holy Night,” was first performed in 1847 in France and was translated into English eight years later by a Unitarian abolitionist who felt the third verse spoke to the evils of slavery:

“Truly He taught us to love one another. His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.”

In 1906 it was the first song ever transmitted by radio, and it has been sung millions of times in churches all over the world and recorded by country, pop, and classical musicians.

During this season of Hope, maybe we can find hope as well in the words from the first verse of “O Holy Night,” “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.”

A thrill of hope! 

Isaiah: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

A thrill of hope!

Tom Bodette (“We’ll leave the light on for ya!“): “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.”

A thrill of hope!

Martin Luther King Jr.: “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

A thrill of hope!

From the Internet: There are more than 100 villages, towns, and cities in America with the name of Hope, including these four from Texas — New Hope Town, Hopewell, Hope, Good Hope.

A thrill of hope!

A favorite book: Good Hope Road by Lisa Wingate features a young woman who, in her small way, gives hope to a weary community devastated by a tornado.

A thrill of hope!

A poem:
Jesus speaks to us of grace,
Of hope and joy and love and faith.
Our Savior, Teacher, Master, Friend – 
“I will be with you ‘til the end.”

A thrill of hope! 

“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!”

From Glenn Dromgoole’s new book, The Christmas Spirit: A Celebration in Word and Song, available at Texas Star Trading Company in downtown Abilene.