The Songs Tell the Story: A Family Advent DevotionalParaugs

The Song with a Tragic Origin Story

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an early American poet. He wrote the Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” during a particularly sad period of his life.

Longfellow’s wife, Frances, had recently died from a tragic accident. She had been sealing envelopes with hot wax when a flame caught her clothes on fire. Henry had rushed to try to save her by smothering the flames and was badly burned in the process. His wife did not recover, and Longfellow was too badly burned to attend her funeral.

Two years later, the poet was once again grieved when his son, Charley, chose to enlist and fight in the Civil War— against his father’s wishes. A few months later, Charley was shot, and the bullet had nicked his spine. Longfellow went to Washington to retrieve his son from the hospital. They arrived home on December 8, and Longfellow began the long process of nursing his son back to health.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words to “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” during that time. He had suffered loss and grief, but he had been greatly comforted when he heard the church bells that rang on Christmas Day. Longfellow’s poem was set to music in 1872, and “I Heard the Bells” is still a song of hope and comfort to people today.

Every Christmas is a “first Christmas” for some people. It is the first Christmas after a loved one has died. It can be the first Christmas someone has to spend alone because of health problems or work responsibilities.

Do you know someone who is sad or lonely this year?

Life has lots of moments that are joyful and happy, and some that are sad. Change is part of every life. But there is a certain comfort in the things of life that do not change.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow heard the bells ringing out that sad day, but the sounds were comforting. Those bells rang with the same music he’d heard during the happier moments of his life as well.

He was reminded of their “unbroken song” that connected him to other people in other places, and yet all of them shared the same Christmas story of “peace on earth, good will to men.”

Whom do you know that needs that story of peace today?