Peace and Light

 

For 2000 years, Christians have been celebrating the birth of Jesus. Born in a stable, surrounded by shepherds and farm animals, He was not recognized by many on that first Christmas Day.

Coming near the Winter Solstice, Christmas is also a celebration that the Light is returning to the World, the days are lengthening. It is a time of hope and a time of peace. It is a time for family and friends. It is a time to recognize anew the Christ Child in our fellow man and treat all accordingly.

The world is not yet at peace. A recent tally at the Wars in the World website shows 60 nations plus 368 separate armed groups, militia, or guerrillas involved in conflict of some kind or other. And we are not yet at peace with ourselves. The twenty first century finds us inundated daily with anxiety producing events and with incredibly ignorant comments on those events. 

No we are not there yet. But each of us can commit to a less violent, more supportive world and hope that soon all will do likewise – that the arms dealers and war mongers, the haters and the dividers finally recognize the true meaning of the Christmas message. Each of us can look to our families and friends and communities and understand what is truly important in our lives.

Here's are two great videos of the Christmas song "O Holy Night!":

 

A beautiful video with Pavarotti, Charlotte Church and Celine Dion singing separate verses in the background.

Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo at a 1999 concert in Vienna


Have a Happy, Peace-filled and Hopeful Christmas!

Picture Credit, Silent Night

 

 

 

Peace on Earth

"Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will." [Luke, 2:14]

The message of Christmas is one of hope, peace and unity. 

What generates more hope than a newborn child, whose story is still to be written, whose whole life is still in front of him?

The other day my brother Dennis forwarded the story of the World War I Christmas Truce between German and British soldiers on the western front.  What a great story!  Jennifer Rosenberg summarized it well in an article on the truce: "In one of the truest acts of goodwill toward men, soldiers from both sides in the southern portion of the Ypres Salient set aside their weapons and hatred, if only temporarily, and met in No Man's Land."

In spite of today's ongoing wars, there is hope.  Maybe mankind can still bring about the peaceful Kingdom of God here on Earth.  But it will take hard work by all those of good will coupled with a general raising of consciousness to understand that prayer of Jesus at the end of His life: "I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one." (John 17:21)

So, if some of us believe in a Virgin Birth, the Resurrection and the Transubstantiation of bread and wine, we can also hope for a transformation of the world to one of peace and unity. 

It won't come easily or automatically. We will need to work at it ceaselessly and keep up our hope.  As another of my heroes once sang: "War is over if you want it. "

Peace.  And have a merry, hopeful Christmas.