At our place--the Hallelujah Chorus

George Frederick Handel

Just so you know--there's some question why people stand for any singing of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus," or rather, have stood for  hundreds of years, at least since the oratorio was initially performed mid-18th century. The most memorable stories belong to England's ruling potentate, George II--no hero in Boston or Philadelphia back then by the way. It's often said that King George, hearing "The Hallelujah Chorus" for the first time, was moved so totally that he got to his feet. Proper protocol in Britain holds that when the King stands, so does every last citizen in the place. 

Some say King George was just trying to stretch a charley horse or attending his gout. But that's over-the-top cynical for a warm-heart like me, who'd much rather think that, one way or another, people get to their feet for Handel's most famous chorus because, well, it's just over-the-top beautiful.

You want an even more holy view? Try this one. King George didn't get to his feet until the first mention of "king of kings." When he heard those words, a deep well of personal piety pulled him up to physically acknowledge his own subordination to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. 

It's a great story, but I'm not buying it. It's just too royally pious. After all, King George sent his redcoat army over here to stamp out liberty and freedom and hold on to taxation without representation like a pit bull. 

Not buying it, but I'll buy him standing. Most people consider that story a myth, too, but some myths are worth their weight in gold. So let's give the King his due.

In our church, like so many others, ordinary people are invited to the front at the end of the Christmas service. Someone passes out texts so as to avoid free-lancing, then the organ starts in with some kind of prelude before those beloved first dozen or so notes march out majestically.

The singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus"--all those kids home for the holidays--and their own kids too--amassed on stage up front makes me cry long before they start start those cascading "forever- and-evers" or get anywhere near that frenetic conclusion.

We were sitting in the back, where we normally sit since I've lost strength in my legs, and I'm in the wheelchair, of course. It's been months now since I could walk well enough even to take a walker to church. But the Home Health people had just showed me some of the advantages of using the wheelchair around the house, and I'd been thrilled with my own newfound ability to stand, straight, for a couple of wonderful minutes; so I told myself that, dang it, everyone stands for "The Hallelujah Chorus." Everyone. 

So up I went. I don't know that anyone saw it--there are so many blessings up front that nobody turns around. Besides, those moments, even in our church, are the closest we ever come to seeing the King, up front and personal, right there in our congregation. 

Just thought I'd let you know that in our church on Christmas Day, everyone stood for "The Hallelujah Chorus"--everyone, even the old bald guy in back with his hands on the chair in front of him, the guy with tears in his eyes. Everyone.

The king would be pleased.