light and joy of the season. Anticipating the Advent, however, portrays the dark side of Christmas because only then will the Light shine the brightest. On the night when the host of heaven sang "Glory to God in the highest," they were arrayed to do battle with the evil forces who wanted to kill the promised child. This seed of Eve was coming to crush the enemy's head (Gen 3:15) and destroy the Devil's power (Heb 2:14). Old Simeon would tell the young mother Mary that, because her son would be the Messiah, a sword would pierce through her soul (Luke 2:35). In so many ways it was a "Not So Silent Night."