John Greenleaf Whittier’s “The Mystic's Christmas” features 12 quatrains; each quatrain consists of two rimed couplets. The poem dramatizes through dialogue between rejoicing monks and a silent brother the true significance of the Christmas celebration.
“‘All hail!’ the bells of Christmas rang”
The narrator sets the scene by announcing that the Christmas bells are ringing, and the monks are singing and making cheerful banter for it is “The gladdest day of all their year.” But sitting apart from the merriment is “a pious elder brother” who sits in silence “With God's sweet peace upon his face.”
“‘Why sitt'st thou thus?’ his brethren cried”
Uncomprehending the older monk’s silence, the younger brothers accost them, asking why he is just sitting there when it is celebration time. They then describe the festive atmosphere: “The Christmas lights are all aglow, / The sacred lilies bud and blow. / / Above our heads the joy-bells ring, / Without the happy children sing.”
Then they command the elder monk, “Rejoice with us; no more rebuke / Our gladness with thy quiet look." The impetuousness of youth often feels that it must taunt its elders into behavioral submission, even alas in a monastery!
"Let heathen Yule fires flicker red”
The elder monk’s reply demonstrates that he is, in fact, the better benefactor of the grace-giving nativity whose season is in celebration. With kindness, he asserts that they may celebrate as they wish, that all the “heathen Yule fires,” “refectory feasts,” and “mystery-plays” are acceptable ways to mark the birth of Christ.
He has no word of denigration for these customs, for even “The blindest faith may haply save; / The Lord accepts the things we have.” He adds that God accepts any celebration and recognition from His children.
“As ye are feeling I have felt”
However, the elder monk, through age and experience, has learned something that the young monks have yet to comprehend. He used to feel the way they do: "But now, beyond the things of sense, / Beyond occasions and events, / I know, through God's exceeding grace, / Release from form and time and space.” Through the monastic discipline he has followed over the years, he has come to realize the Christ-Consciousness within his own soul.
“Judge not him who every morn”
The monk reveals not only the true significance of Christmas celebration but also the true purpose of monastic life: “The outward symbols disappear / From him whose inward sight is clear.” This monk realizes that whether he celebrates outwardly or not, he is united with the Divine. He fills all of his days with praise of Christ, making one day of celebration fairly redundant, even small, by comparison.
Again, he asserts that they must “Keep while you need it, brothers mine, / With honest seal your Christmas sign.” But he adds an important warning, “But judge not him who every morn / Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born!" This elder monk realizes Christ inwardly every day, not just at the calendar’s call to celebrate.
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