Jan Hus and Mighty Joy at Christmas
A Letter from Exile in Southern Bohemia, December 25, 1412
Introducing Jan Hus’ Christmas Letter
On Christmas Day in 1412, Jan Hus penned a letter from exile to encourage the saints in Prague. This letter was a delight to discover earlier this year, and it is a rich meditation for Christmas. I will offer some brief background followed by the complete text below. I pray that Hus’ call from December 25, 1412 will reach through the ages to encourage your heart to rejoice in our Savior with a “mighty joy.”
If you are unfamiliar with the story of Jan Hus and how his ministry in Bohemia and subsequent martyrdom helped to prepare the way for the Protestant Reformation, I invite you to listen to this biographical lesson from earlier this year.
Jan Hus’ pastoral ministry in Prague ended abruptly with exile in October of 1412. Papal opposition to Hus and his teaching led to the threat of interdict against all of Prague which would suspend all church services in the city should he remain. To prevent this from happening, Hus left his beloved congregation and embraced self-imposed exile. He moved to Southern Bohemia where he was sheltered by barons who also objected to the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. There Hus continued to serve the church with his writings until his betrayal and martyrdom in 1415.
Unable to be present with his congregation at Bethlehem Chapel, Hus wrote this letter to call them to a “mighty joy” in Christ on Christmas Day. These words of encouragement provide a small window into what it might have been like to sit under his preaching.
Letter to the People of Prague, December 25, 1412
My very dear brothers,
Although I am now separated from you in body, not being perhaps worthy to preach to you any longer the word of God, nevertheless the love with which I bear towards you urges me to approach and address you in a few words.This is the day, dearly beloved, on which the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds—“Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people.” And immediately, a multitude of the heavenly host were heard to cry out,—“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.”
Knowing that, dearly beloved, rejoice that today God is born a man, in order that there may be glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that today the infinitely Mighty is born a child, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that today a Reconciler is born to reconcile man to God, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that today He is born to cleanse sinners from their sin, to deliver them from the devil’s power, to save them from eternal perdition, and to bring them to eternal joy, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice with great joy that today is born unto us a King, to bestow in its fulness upon us the heavenly kingdom, a Bishop to grant His eternal benediction, a Father of the ages to come, to keep us as His children by His side for ever: yea, there is born a beloved Brother, a wise Master, a sure Leader, a just Judge, to the end that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice, ye wicked, that God is born as a Priest, Who hath granted to every penitent absolution from all sins, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that today the Bread of Angels—that is, God—is made the Bread of men, to revive the starving with His Body, that there may be peace among them, and on earth, peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that God immortal is born, that mortal man may live forever.
Rejoice that the rich Lord of the Universe lies in a manger, like a poor man, that he may make us rich.
Rejoice, dearly beloved, that what the prophets prophesied has been fulfilled, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good-will toward men.
Rejoice that there is born to us a Child omnipotent, and that a Son is given to us, all-wise and gracious, that there may be glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good-will toward men.
Oh, dear friends, ought there to be but a moderate rejoicing over these things? Nay, a mighty joy!
Indeed, the angel saith: I bring you good tidings of great joy, for that there is born a Redeemer from all misery, a Savior of sinners, a Governor of His faithful ones; there is born a Comforter of the sorrowful, and there is given to us the Son of God that we may have great joy, and that there may be glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good-will toward men.
May it please God, born this day, to grant to us this goodwill, this peace, and withal this joy!
Jan Hus