This week is traditionally associated with Joy or joyous expectation. But this was the weekend of my Church's Christmas Musical, this year titled "There is Peace in the World Tonight".
How can we take this serious when our country is a war in some many ways? We are actively fighting on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more seriously, we are under attack by elements of radicalized Islam in what should be called, from our perspective, a war on terror.
The answer came 2,000 years ago. It was delivered by the angels: "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
With apologies and thanks to Randy Vader for my paraphrase of the narration, here is what I believe to be the essence of the message of our Musical:
Peace, today, is not the absence of conflict, it is the presence of God in our lives.
The hope of peace came to us in a most miraculous way on that Holy night in the little town of Bethlehem. God did hear the prayers of His people. Through the life and ministry of His Son, He redefined Love and Peace forever. Peace is the presence of God.
In a world ravaged by the evil of war, we must never lose sight of the promise of peace that comes to us from heaven. As the Psalmist said: " The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."
As St. Francis of Assisi prayed : "Make me an insturment of His peace." May we always remember that peace has a Prince... and He is here, right now, among us.
There is peace in the world tonight.
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