During the American Civil War, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's oldest son Charles Appleton Longfellow joined the Union cause as a soldier without his father's blessing. Longfellow was informed by a letter dated March 14, 1863, after Charles had left. "I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your leave but I cannot any longer. I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country and I would willingly lay down my life for it if it would be of any good". Charles soon got an appointment as a lieutenant but, in November, he was severely wounded. Coupled with the recent loss of his wife Frances, who died as a result of an accidental fire, Longfellow was inspired to write "Christmas Bells."
Many of us in this world today can readily place ourselves in
Longfellow’s stanza “In despair, I bowed my head, ‘There is not peace on
earth…for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth.’”
We live in a time of great fear and anxiety. We are now constantly afraid of terrorism, of
our neighbors; the world is forever on the brink of nuclear war. In an age of technological and scientific breakthroughs,
there are still people dying of hunger and thirst. Children are being neglected and abused. Christians, Muslims, Jews, women, minorities,
are being persecuted in lands far and near.
The economy weighs heavy on all shoulders, worry pushes on our hearts
and souls.
We pick up the paper, turn on the television, talk to a neighbor and we
hear story after story of horrible things people are doing to other people, we
are told of cancer diagnoses, car accidents, cheating spouses, job losses. And we feel great despair. We feel like evil has won. We feel like there is no peace on earth, for
hate is so strong and mocks the very thought of peace.
Longfellow felt these same feelings as he grieved the loss of his wife
and his son’s severe war injury. And
yet, he knew the truth. He wrote, “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.' 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'.”
The Gospel writer, John, puts it this way, “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being though him, and
without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of
all people. The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Later in John he writes, “Jesus spoke to them
saying, ‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light
of life.’”
Jesus the Christ is the Prince of Peace, the Light of the World. He is the one who calms our fears, who offers
us hope, and who brings peace. In this
world of fear, where natural disaster, human terror, disease, loneliness,
anxiety, and dread fill our moments, the peace of Christ is most desperately
needed. And most importantly can be
found. Peace can be found in the arms of
Jesus. Peace is waiting with our
savior. Peace to qualm the fear. God is not dead nor does God sleep! God is the bringer of Peace!
Rev. Sarah Slack
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