Silent Night

Silent night, holy night. All is calm . . .

It was 9:30pm and all in the neighborhood was peacefully quiet.

The only hazy sound was of a large vehicle going by off in the distance.

As I listened it became increasingly apparent that it was not far away but very close and now had stopped at the end of my small cul-de-sac. Being one who espouses an early to bed, early to rise philosophy, I was already tucked in for the night. I turned off my reading light, got out of bed and attempted to discreetly assess the situation from an upstairs window. Though I couldn’t see the vehicle in the darkness, the flashing colored lights indicated it was a fire engine. In just moments another emergency vehicle quietly arrived onto the “scene” deploying a gurney and paramedics to go with it. The faint but distinct sound of dispatch type radio calls went back and forth in the dark. Minutes later a now occupied gurney was being loaded in. Then just as silently as they had arrived they were gone.

As I’d watched from my window I had prayed. I wondered who’d placed the call, who was having an emergency and were they going to be okay. I mean, your heart goes out and so of course COVID crossed my mind, then a heart attack, perhaps the elderly lady who lives alone . . .

The next day my mind kept returning to the brief scene that I’d witnessed. The paramedics had been focused on their life saving work, having no idea that someone was watching from above, silently praying for them on that silent night.

And that’s an incredibly powerful thing about faith and prayer. The recipient doesn’t have to be aware of it for its power to be effective. How many times has someone offered a heart-felt silent prayer for you or me, for our well-being, our healing, or for a much needed solution to a troubling problem?

More than you or I would even imagine, I suppose. And that’s something to be thankful for on any silent night.