[soft piano / gregorian choir] O silent night... The candles burn. A thousand faces wait their turn. The bells have called the faithful near. They bow their heads. And something hears. --- [low male vocal] You prayed so long for heaven's door to open wide and answer you. Tonight... it did. --- [verse] The winter stars have lost their light. No moon remains to watch tonight. The stained glass saints look down in fear as something ancient draws us near. And every voice that begged for grace falls silent when it shows its face. --- [choir, softly] **Gloria...** --- [lead] Don't stop now. You wanted to be heard. --- [chorus] O hollow night, the heavens tremble. Fall to your knees— but not in prayer. The choir sings, the darkness answers. You called for God... and I was there. --- [instrumental swell] --- [low vocal] Who told you light was holy? Who taught you darkness meant alone? Who told you every voice above you came from heaven's throne? --- [close whisper] You never asked who was listening. --- [verse] For centuries you spoke my name without knowing what it meant. Every hymn. Every candle. Every desperate sacrament. Every whispered *come and save us.* Every *hear us.* Every *appear.* --- [lead, intimate] Did you really think only heaven could hear? --- [choir begins beneath him] **Gloria... Gloria...** --- [lead] Louder. --- [choir] **GLORIA...** --- [lead, almost smiling] There you are. --- [heavy chorus] O HOLY NIGHT— LOOK UP AND SEE. YOUR HEAVEN'S EMPTY. **ONLY ME.** Fall to your knees. Let faith unravel. No angels descend. No savior comes. The doors are open. The prayer is answered. --- [instruments suddenly stop] [whisper] Just not by the one you wanted. --- [low organ] --- [lead, intimate] Don't hide your face. You wanted proof. You wanted something real enough to make you believe. --- [pause] Look at me. --- [slow build] You gave your love to empty skies. You kissed the feet of silent saints. You confessed your hunger through locked doors and called desire a stain. Come closer. I won't make you confess again. --- [choir, increasingly distorted] **Gloria... Gloria... Gloria in tenebris...** --- [lead] No. Don't kneel because you're frightened. --- [whisper] Kneel because you understand. --- [final massive chorus] O ENDLESS NIGHT— LET HEAVEN CLOSE. LET EVERY BELL AND ORGAN KNOW. THEY CALLED FOR LIGHT. THE DARKNESS CAME. AND EVERY MOUTH THAT SPOKE HIS NAME NOW SINGS— --- [choir] **GLORIA!** --- [lead] —to something heaven never made. --- [choir / guitars / organ] **GLORIA! GLORIA! GLORIA!** --- [everything collapses except piano] --- [lead, softly] You spent your whole life looking upward. --- [close whisper] You should have looked behind you. --- [distant choir] **Gloria...** --- [lead] Merry Christmas.
