Here, this day is dark, dreary, and COLD. The news abroad in the world isn't much brighter. In fact, a lot of it is worse. There is death from disease, poverty, and murder, there is hatred, there is war. No world for a child to be born into.
Arguably, it was the same more than two thousand years ago, when the Child some of us celebrate came into this world. That was no time for a child to be born. The land he was born into was under the rule of Imperial Rome. For the Israelites, it was difficult, dangerous, and offensive to live under the sway of a pagan regime.
This theme is not a new one, in fact, I find it hard to say this in a way that might sound new. Many have observed that this world is almost NEVER joyful, or at peace, or even safe for everyone. Perhaps the theme is best remembered from the old carol I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
You can hear the song and read the lyricsHERE
..."And in despair I bowed my head,
There is no peace on earth, I said
For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men."
That verse was written in 1867. (By Longfellow. No wonder I've always loved it. ) Surely, peace was hard to come by, and strife very strong indeed. So it is today. There are wars ongoing in many places, there are horrible diseases ravaging populations, there is hatred and unrest in our very own nation. Perhaps because we continually lose sight of the meaning behind this season. Even if we catch up with the "true Spirit of Christmas" during the holiday itself, we lose it along the way. ALL of us. Even those of us who really try. We ALL need to try harder, to commit ourselves anew to remembering that Love chose to be born into this world as a tiny baby, in an occupied country, to an oppressed minority. That ALL the religious leaders who have ever been revered in this world have stressed that LOVE is the only really important thing. Love of God, love of others, the kind of love that shares and helps and believes and hopes.
May the God of Love forgive us, we have tainted that message. We have killed in the name of religion, used our different beliefs as a license to revile and condemn those who disagree, totally ignored the more difficult call to love our enemies.
How easy it is to hate. What a lazy way to deal with others. Never try to see the other side of an issue, never tolerate for a moment the idea that you may be wrong, that maybe GOD would want you to listen and to reserve judgement. So easy to get caught up in the clamoring of those who would rush to condemnation and revenge. It is difficult to stand with Love. Love is hard work. You may well love someone, but not like them very much some days. Love is stronger, deeper, and more reliable than mere liking. How difficult it must have been for that Child, born into such a desolate land and people, to look with love upon those who reviled him because of his faith, his ethnicity. How much MORE difficult when the ones who were his own people reviled him because he dared to preach love and forgiveness and not revolution.
Those of us who claim to be followers of that Child, followers of Christ, we have a lot of bad behavior to answer for. We have not listened with our hearts to His call to love. We have let Him down, let each other down, and let the world down. We are NOT called to hate, to sit in judgement, to FORCE others to agree with us, we are called to LOVE. It is the the single most difficult thing I have ever pondered doing. It is even harder in practice. Yes, we are forgiven our sins, IF we repent and recognize that we have done wrong, our resolve to do better will be blessed. He who came and offered Himself for us in love, loves us still. No matter WHAT we have done, it breaks His heart, I am sure, because He loves us, and WANTS that better world for us. The world we would have if we ALL lived by the words given us by the leaders of our faiths. If we live by love.
I do not exempt myself from guilt. I tend to be self-centered, having lived a lot of my childhood with no playmates to speak of, I did not have to learn much about sharing and cooperation until I started school. I am the absolute WORST at thinking of others first, of reacting immediately with love. I do try, I remind myself, I pray for help, but I still fall FAR short. I am still far too judgmental, even if only in my own head. (Our thoughts can and do affect our actions, so ...)
I can only promise that I am TRYING to change. Every single day. For those of you who interact regularly with me, if I have hurt you, failed you, otherwise let you down, I am sorry. I do love you, I care for you, and I don't WANT to hurt you. (Especially my most long-suffering and loving spouse, who loves me in spite of my many, many faults.) My gift to you at this season, and every day of every year is that I will do my utmost to learn to react first from LOVE instead of selfishness.
If all of us try that, maybe, just maybe, the world will be a brighter place.
As for the devastating news that's been circulating lately, of killings and hate, well, it is nothing new. Those of us who were here in Oklahoma City in 1995 can tell you that. Our church was damaged in that act of violence, and that Christmas (and the next) we were stuck worshiping in the parish hall. I wrote a poem about it. I'd like to share it again, if you'll indulge me:
Christmas Eve
By Carolyn Kay Armistead, 1996
The scent of pine needles, incense, and candlewax fill the air.
There is much confusion about the processional, and just who goes where.
But the night is full of magic, wonder and joy
As our Christian family prepares once again to welcome the baby boy.
The baby boy who came into a world of uncertainty and pain,
Who understands how we feel, being in Dean Willey Hall again,
And not in our beautiful Cathedral, with its comfort and sacredness.
He knows how it feels to deal with hatred's harmful effects.
Well He knows our sorrow, our impatience and our pain
And yet He makes us glad to be together, even if in the Hall again.
For He was not born in a fancy palace, or a hospital clean and grand;
But in a lowly stable, with cows, sheep and shepherds close to hand.
If He could be content with a birthplace so quiet and humble;
Who are we to be unhappy with our lot and to grumble?
After all, we are safe and still together, and together we still can sing
The same joyful song of angels, and isn't that the most important thing?
Yes, we still had each other, and that was indeed the most beautiful and important thing. I see many of those same faces in the choir and the congregation this year, and I am so very glad to see them. These are my fellow travelers on this road of faith, this difficult journey of trying to live up to the gift of love we have been given. It wasn't easy then, and it still isn't.
Yes, there is a LOT wrong with this world, there is a lot of hatred and fear. There is also Love. I have found those who love almost everywhere I go, including the Internet and social media. Yes, there are sour and negative and hateful people just about everywhere, but if you look, there's an awful lot of loving and kind ones, too. Let that give you hope this season, and remember, BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD. If YOU don't react with love, how will love grow?
Back to that Christmas carol. The next to the last verse says this all so much more succinctly.
"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep.
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."
(Down, feminists; "men" was an accepted abbreviation for "human". I believe largely because the Greek Anthropos was translated as "man" instead of "human", or "mankind". )
On this longest night of the year, on this very cold day, when the darkness seems so ready to crush us and put us all in the cold, let us light the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of Peace.
To quote an old TV show I happen to be very fond of, let us remember that darkness is merely the absence of light, and all winters end!
Let us resolve to try and BE the light!
LOVE to you and PEACE!
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| The Advent Wreath |
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