Friday, December 19, 2008

Peace on Earth

While preparing to compose a christmas wish for all my family and friends, I stopped at the reading for today in a book Sathya had gifted me (which I don't read as often as he would like me too, but when I do, there's usually something strangely wise in it).

"Let's avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into a city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king.

He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace – His peace – in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace.

Christmas is not a retreat from reality but an advance into it along with the Prince of Peace."

War is still an option on the table, unfortunately. Despite the unrest and unease all around, may we all still find the peace within, whichever route takes us there.

Perhaps this beautiful interplay between David Bowie and Bing Crosby, entitled Peace on Earth, could help. And that "my child and your child will see the day when men of goodwill live in peace again".

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely! I love the idea too - the old and the new, traditional and modern, together with friendly acceptance.

How might our world be if we allow ourselves to surmount our differences and find our common cause?

Thanks for the post and finding this recording!

Peace to you.

phish said...

it was so nice to see you! yes, its been awhile. i am in the process of engineering a little change in my life. call it exorcism. call it spring cleaning.

i am on a quest for peace as well.

lots of love from the phish.