Sisters, stop the presses: Christmas hymns with a twist
Sister Rose Martin Huong Le, OP, prepares to play the organ for the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate at a Nov. 23 Mass at Blessed Imelda Convent. (NTC/Ben Torres)
This reflection is one of eight written by musicians from across our diocese as part of Songs of the Seasons, a series celebrating the beauty and meaning of Christmas music. Follow along the series [here]!
First Day in the Christmas Octave: A perspective on Christmas music from Sister Rose Martin Huong Le, OP, organist for the Blessed Imelda Convent
“Joy to the pun, the Word has come!” I sometimes begin Advent this way — half jest, half prayer. Within our convent, we have discovered that Christmas hymns carry not only solemnity but also joy, even in playful twists. Silent Night becomes Silent Right when reverence fills the chapel, and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" turns into Hark! The Herald Sisters Ring when the chapel bells decide to toll at the wrong time. Humor, after all, doesn’t diminish holiness — it adds to it.
But beneath the laughter lies something deeper. For me, Christmas hymns are not just seasonal music — they are theology set to melody. They carry the mystery of the Incarnation in every note, reminding us that the Savior’s coming is both a historical event and a living reality.
Called by Song: A Vocation in Melody
Though no formal degree in music was earned, yet my path has always been shaped by song. It began in the parish choir, where I discovered that music is more about service: blending voices, carrying the weight of sacred hymnody, and offering beauty back to God. Each hymn taught reverence, each chord taught patience, and each silence taught trust.
Now I am entrusted with the gift of playing organ for the sisters’ community. It is not a role I claim as expertise, but as calling. To place one’s hands on the keys is to place one’s heart before the Lord, offering not performance but prayer.
Hymns That Carve Truth into the Soul
Among the many carols, "O Come, All Ye Faithful" has always stood out. It’s bold, triumphant, and basically the hymn equivalent of saying, “Everyone in the chapel, get in here!” The melody sweeps you up whether you’re a trained soprano or just someone humming along.
One line in particular always stops me in my tracks: “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.” In just a few words, it captures the mystery of the Incarnation—the eternal Word choosing to dwell among us in human form. Every time I play those notes, I feel the weight of its truth pressing gently on my heart.
From Chant to Carol: A Global Symphony of Joy
Christmas is the feast of joy, and joy demands expression in every style imaginable. From solemn chant to lively carols, each culture and generation has found its own way to sing the mystery of the Incarnation. The diversity reflects the universality of Christ’s birth — He came for all people, and all people sing differently.
Joyful traditions with Christmas music
One of my cherished traditions is slipping away for extra practice on the organ during Advent — not only to strengthen my hands, but also to prepare my heart for the coming season. At Christmas, the sisters and I bring carols to nursing homes and retirement residences for priests, sharing music as a gift of comfort and joy. When we gather among ourselves on Christmas day, the singing is not always simple; at times it blossoms into a true concert, complete with harmony, skits, and spirited performance.
We discover again that the mystery of Christmas is most beautifully revealed in communal joy — voices lifted together, hearts united, and love made visible in songs.
Jingles in the Air: Sacred Echoes in Secular Spaces
When I hear Christmas music in shopping centers or on the radio, I can’t help but smile. It may not carry the depth of liturgical hymns, yet it still spreads cheer and reminds hearts of the season’s warmth.
Sometimes I catch myself wishing they’d play "O Come, All Ye Faithful" instead of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." Yet even the lighthearted songs remind us that something special is happening, and that joy is worth sharing — even if it comes through jingles.
New Voices for the Ancient Word
Recently, I discovered a new hymn by Jana Johnson, “Unto You Is Born a Savior.” Its refrain echoes Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
What struck me most is how the hymn does not leave Christ in the manger. It begins with angels and shepherds, but it moves forward — through His boyhood wisdom, His mission, His cross, and His resurrection. In this way, the hymn becomes a miniature catechism in song, reminding us that Christmas is inseparable from Easter.
Melodies of Light in a Waiting World
Christmas hymn puns may make us laugh, but the hymns themselves make us believe. Whether through humor or harmony, they remind us that joy lies at the heart of the season.
Pope Benedict XVI once reflected that ‘the joy music and song bring is a constant invitation…to offer humanity a future rich with hope.’ Christmas hymns embody that invitation: songs of hope sung into a world longing for light.
And so the words of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" resound: ‘God of God, Light of Light Eternal.’ They remind me of the joy we share as Dominicans—the ‘Hounds of the Lord’—to joyfully carry our flames of truth and charity into the darkness, to light up a broken world, and to proclaim that Christ Himself is our Light.
By Sister Rose Martin Huong Le, OP, organist for the Blessed Imelda Convent