At present there is celebration. Homes – big or small – are decked in pine and holly. Carols are remembered, if not sung.
One carol that might come to mind is Do Your Hear What I Hear. And one verse from that carol that might ring most deeply is,
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold.
As those of us blessed with palace or apartment warm gather and celebrate, let us for a moment give thought how we can aim for the essential ingredient in “silver and gold” – Peace. From Peace can come prosperity, and from prosperity a warm blanket for the shivering child in neighborhoods or conflict zones around the world.
But, the right kind of Peace.
The peace that comes from the barrel of a gun or from the stroke of a pen is a false peace, and does not last. Real Peace must come from all people’s hearts. It must come from the realization that making friendships and making love is infinitely more sensible than making war.
So, for another verse from the carol.
Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere.
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light!
Christian or not, believer or not, Peace be with you all.
Picture: From The Christ Child: A Nativity Story. This is a beautiful short film about the birth of Jesus Christ, produced in 2019 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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