On October 30, 2010, The Opera Company of Philadelphia along with over 650 members of area choirs gathered unannounced at Macy’s Center City Philadelphia and performed the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah as they milled up and down the aisles of average shoppers on an average Saturday. Undoubtedly many of you have seen the video by now on YouTube. The look of surprise on so many faces is worth the trouble. If you haven’t seen it yet, you must. [See below for a link to the YouTube page.]
It’s been 268 years since Messiah first premiered. 268 years since George Frederick Handel holed himself up in his room for 24 days and wrote and orchestrated the entire thing. Later, as Handel searched for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted St. Paul, saying “whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not.”
I know the answer to that: he was out. Way out. How else do you explain something that can stop everyone in their tracks in a department store in 2010 with the announcement that the Kingdom of God has come, and that Jesus Christ is the King who will reign forever and ever? All that while a salesperson is checking on the price of a cashmere sweater.
It is the Christmas season when our hearts are stimulated by joyous music and glorious words we can rejoice in. Which makes me think we should carry on the holidays until we are one, together, with the triumphant hope that the King of Kings provides daily.
I seriously doubt the pastors of the world will hear my wife out as they have messages of their own, but for her… she would vote for waking every morning to hearing Handel’s Messiah and the story of resurrection on earth and be challenged by “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people” from Isaiah 40, and rise up in the marketplace every time we heard the first notes of the newly adopted national anthem, the Hallelujah Chorus.
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign forever and ever.
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hal-le-lu-jah!
And here’s a little-known fact. Messiah premiered on April 13, 1742 as a charitable benefit, raising 400 pounds and freeing 142 men from debtor’s prison. Even in the premiere musical celebration of his life, the Messiah is setting captives free.
John Fischer The Catch 
dear john,
my friend, jana, sent this to me, and i am singing
hallelujahs from the joy of it.
no one can resist the anointing of the Lord, as
evidenced by the wonder on the faces of those
who may never have sung it before.
i count it an awesome privilege to have sung it
so many times, it is in my core.
merry Christmas,
lea
I am in 100% agreement with your wife! Handel’s Messiah is the most spectacular piece of music ever written! Regardless of what I’m doing or where I am, everytime I hear the Hallelujah Chorus, I break out in goosebumps & tears run down my face.
How lovely!
Have you seen this one in a Canadian food court? Made me cry with joy!
Wow. How cool is that? Thanks for sharing.
Wow!!! Loved it. If it had been possible, my heart would have leapt out of my chest for the shear joy that this unexpected performance gave me.
Thank you so much for sharing and starting my day off with such joy and admiration to those who give God such glory. Truly, God is Good.
My husband and I sang with his choir, San Jose Symphonic Choir, last night–the YOU-SING-IT MESSIAH! I have been doing this 3 or 4 yrs in a row, now…and, am JUST now starting to “get the hang” of it! Handel truly WAS inspired! The trumpet section (near end of Part III) brought me to tears. So beautiful!
I’m thinking about doing this but I honestly worry whether I will be able sing from crying so much! I tried to sing along with my computer and lost it numerous times.
This was beatiful!
One of the sweetest things I’ve ever heard was last at our church, when the choir sang the Hallelujah Chorus, a man across the aisle was singing at the top of his lungs along with the choir – every note was off key. At first I thought he was joking, but soon realized he was moved by the music, and it didn’t matter to him that he couldn’t carry the tune, he just sang joyously. It was one of the most moving renditions of the Hallelujah Chorus I’ve ever heard.
Thank You all for sharing. I agree with all of you, it was outstanding! Although some of our government officials and some unbelivers are trying to take Christ out of Christmas, you can see that you can’t keep a Good Man down. He’s much more than good, I was just quoting an inspiring Christian song. – And I don’t tear up easily, but these performances really got me!
I believe, every now and then, “The Lord” shows Himself through an event like this, to give us Christians a “Ray of Hope” in a world that is darkening to the meaning of Christmas. Just say, “Merry Christmas” as an employee on the job, example, some retail stores, and you’ll be warned, written up, some obnoxious thing. You have to say “Happy Holiday” so we don’t offend anyone. So then what are we celebrating, Santa’s coming? OK, Saint Nick was great, but He didn’t wash my sin away. How about you? Maybe I’m slow, but doesn’t it say CHRIST in Christmas?
Food for thought for the Christmas Season when were with family or friends that are not believers. Something I heard that I found very interesting, that struck home to
me about when people say, “‘Well, Christ hung out with sinners you know. Or, ” Jesus was a cool guy cause he hung out with drunks and prostitutes… This person said, Yes, He did, that is true, but He let His light shine in that darkness and did not conform to their sinnful ways. He showed us the example. He didn’t turn to their sin, like getting drunk, or talking profane …, you fill in the blank. He was a beautiful person, with unconditional love to go all around, but He still did not sin, He held His ground.
Lord help us all to have your “unconditional love” for others. To love the sinner, but hate and not conform to the sin . To Bless others with your gift of Salvation, to a world that’s dying without any strong hope to go on. Help us to do our part, by sharing the gospel in the way you direct us to do. Forgiveness of sins, washed whiter than snow and a place set aside for me in eternity, you know. May I never take advantage and abuse your gift of and “mercy and grace”. Why, because that would show I didn’t respect and love you for dying in my place. To know that our sins are washed whiter than snow, is a comfort beyonds words for this sinner you know.
God Bless You and Merry Christmas!!!
Mary Ann Smith
WA State