Since I was a child, I’ve felt Jesus’ presence more strongly at night, just before falling asleep, than at any other time. I’d always thought it would be more appropriate to experience the transcendent in a church or in a prayer group. However, according to the Bible and many spiritual writings, the night is one of God’s preferred moments to draw near to us.
I hadn’t realized how important the night is in God’s encounter with his people, as so many biblical stories tell, until I discovered a Spanish hymn that is now one of my favorites.
It’s called “Night is a Time of Salvation,” and I found it on an app developed by the Spanish Episcopal Conference, called Liturgia CEE. I found its lyrics beautiful. Then I searched for it on YouTube and found a rendition that was also moving.
The hymn proclaims that night is a time of drawing close to God and summarizes the major events in salvation history that occurred during the night: Jacob's ladder (Gen 28:10 ff.), the Passover of the Hebrews (Ex 12:29 ff.), God's covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:12 ff.), God's call to Samuel (1 Sam 3:1 ff.), the birth of Christ (Luke 2:1 ff.), his resurrection (Luke 24:1 ff.), and the representation of the Second Coming in which the Bridegroom will seek the virgins with their lamps burning (Mt 25:1 ff.).
I think there is much to contemplate in all of this, but what strikes me most is that all of us, in some way, live shrouded in the darkness that oppresses our world. However, this does not signal the absence of God. On the contrary, it is precisely in our nights, our most painful moments, that God desires to encounter us and call us to love and follow him.
The lyrics follow:
Night does not interrupt
your history with man;
night is a time
of salvation.
By night your mysterious ladder descended
to the very rock where Jacob slept.
Night is a time
of salvation.
By night you celebrated the Passover with your people,
while in the darkness the slaughter took place.
Night is a time
of salvation.
Abraham counted tribes by stars each night;
by night you prolonged the voice of the promise.
Night is a time
of salvation.
By night, three times, Samuel heard his name;
by night dreams were your deepest language.
Night is a time
of salvation.
By night, in a manger, your Word was born;
At night the angel and the star announced it.
Night is a time
of salvation.
The night witnessed Christ in the tomb;
the night saw the glory of his resurrection.
Night is a time
of salvation.
At night we will await your sudden return,
and you will find the light of our lamp ready.
Night is a time
of salvation.