Letter: There Is Room

When George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” was first performed at noon in the New Music Hall in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742 in Dublin, there was no room in the hall.

There was no room for gentlemen to wear their swords; there was no room for ladies to wear hoops in their dresses.

With an audience of over 700 souls, every single and available space was taken.

In a 1787 performance at Westminster Abbey, the 800 musicians outnumbered the audience; and again, there was no room.

Great music engenders standing room only.

Composed in 1741, Handel’s crowning 259-page room-filling score was written to celebrate the Lenten season and Easter. This observance changed in 1818 when the “Messiah” was first performed in America in Boston on Christmas Day.

In every performance – in both America and Europe – every single square foot of room was taken.

Very much like the beginning and end of Christ’s life.

Because there was no room at the inn, He was born in a small stable and laid in a manger.

Because of His life’s actions and words, no room could have held the multitudes that listened to Him.

Because of what He represented, He stood before Pilate in a crowded room to be sentenced to death.

Because of His Crucifixion, He was placed in a small tomb.

Like every performance of the “Messiah” since then, there was no room at His birth, His life, His trial and His resurrection as He fulfilled God’s promise of eternal life.

Where there is room for every soul.