A Christmas Commitment to Peace

In his Christmas message, United Church of Christ General Minister and President the Rev. John C. Dorhauer asks all of us to give a gift to the world.

And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace to those of good will.

Peace.

Jesus came for this.

Peace.

He’d have a hard time seeing that today. From post-election acrimony to racial tension; from Aleppo to Palestine; from refugee resettlement to climate change, there are signs of deep division and unrest between various communities.

What may be worse is there seems to be a lack of desire to resolve the differences. Rather than committing to the ways that make for peace, we all seem to be more interested in being right than being well.

So, what do you say? How about in this Christmas season we pray for peace, remembering the one whose peace passes understanding. But let us all also commit to one act of understanding, of compassion, of empathy, or of reconciliation.

Let our Christmas gift to the world be our single commitment to peace. Find someone with whom you are now in conflict or tension; someone who doesn’t see the world the way you do; someone who voted for a candidate that you couldn’t fathom voting for; or someone that you find it particularly challenging to even be kind to.

Prayerfully, creatively, carefully imagine a word, a gesture, an invitation, or a gift that – if received in the spirit of love in which you offer it – might change the way you relate to each other.

As a child, I always enjoyed singing the song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Jesus came to bring peace. Let those who call themselves Christ’s disciples dream of such a peace.

Merry Christmas.

Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.