As people of faith, whatever that faith may be, we are typically called to peace. It is rare to find a religion that blatantly calls its people to war, hate, violence, etc. Most religions do call their people to some sort of peace-making, generally speaking. That is done in a variety of ways, but it must be accomplished with intention. It doesn’t happen magically. Here, I briefly entertain the idea of the Peace that spins out of the celebration and reverence of the Christmas Season. I am a Christian, so my thoughts spring from that faith and are reflected here.
In this very fractured and fractious world, Peacemaking is intentional work…hard work…relentless work…and is not full of platitudes and catch-phrases. This is why “perfect Love casts out all fear” because our Loving God knows we are no good to anyone when we are afraid…anxious…tied up in knots. Love keeps us calm, clear-thinking, thought-filled, and able to look for those out-of-the-proverbial-box solutions or paths to reconciliation and justice. In a world polarized by “right” and “left”…ACTIVE Love propels us to the “third way”…that walks us through the rough places to that revolution of love that we hear sung about in the Carols of this Holy Season…that revolution of Love that took place when God whispered heaven’s way into the world on a mysterious night, unnoticed…when God put on skin and began a journey among us…when that first little cry echoed throughout eternity and split the sky with Peace and Hope and Love…(And interestingly enough, our world is not much different today than 2000 years ago. Those who search for and enjoy God’s presence are stuck somewhere between the global governments where power and control guide feet AND the church run amok that resembles the pharisee-ical mess of years gone by. A basic loving ten commandments had been overgrown to over 600 rules and regulations…much like the basic two [love God, love neighbor] run amok today.)
Enter God in all Gentleness, Innocence, and Love…quietly…surreptitiously…gently…the God of simplicity, elegant Presence, eternal Love, Gracious patience…in a tiny little cry, held in a maid’s arms to suckle, to wriggle His way into our hearts in order to change the world. Merry Christmas, Everyone!