It’s ironic, in a world of constant war and gleeful hatred wherever we turn, that our most sacred holidays celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of a man whose coming was heralded with angels singing, “Peace on Earth, good will toward men.”
Every so often, and especially around Christmas, we pause and consider the new testament Jesus brought, with God’s law condensed to two commandments: Love the Lord your God, and Love One Another. How’s that working out for us?
One of these days we really are going to lay our burdens down and study war no more.
I see members of the ruling class badmouthing each other and rattling sabers, safe in the knowledge that they’re not the ones who will have to wield the sabers if push comes to shove, and I despair that a day of peace on Earth will ever come.
But then I see strangers smile at each other, I hear children laughing together, and I feel the emotion in a song everyone loves, I see all kinds of people working and playing together, and I remember that we have more in common than we have differences. The political class have to work hard to keep us driven apart.
If we could keep the spirit that pervades this season and make it 24/7/365 … what a world that could be.