Before they learned to write their history, our ancestors began celebrating their most sacred ideas at the time of the year when their nights were dark and long and cold. Because they carried knowledge in their minds and faith in their hearts that the light would return with life and abundance, they could celebrate the darkest day with certainty of a better future. Here are some words to carry forward from our past.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. “ – An Angel
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.” – Black Elk, Oglala Sioux Medicine Man
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” – Albert Camus
“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” – Mother Teresa
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men.” – Jesus
Before this is published there are those among us who will have celebrated Christmas, Hanukah (Jewish festival of lights), Diwali (Hindu and eastern festival of lights), and Yule. A friend sent me a “Happy Kwanzaa” message on Facebook, and I was pleased to receive it. Hope is expressed in each of those traditions and in many others.
How can we have such hope and faith in a world beset by cruelty and war? Can one believe in peace while living in a nation that owns more nuclear weapons and fights in more wars than any other? Can we have faith in the future while hunger and poverty live alongside wealth and gluttony? The spirit of Christmas responds that “yes, we can”.
The lessons that we need are present in our history and our holy books – the ones that contain the wisdom of our ancestors. Those lessons live in the inspirational words of our own generations. Black Elk has reminded us of something we know: Peace can be discovered in the knowledge that each of us is part of one humanity and one universe. But at times the light of faith flickers, and we can experience inspiration from others, as Albert Schweitzer said. Like Camus, we can discover invincible summer in the depth of winter.
Today, in a world filled with political confrontations and open hostility, how do we bridge the chasms that divide us? First, we must recognize that no one among our wise leaders has imposed “peace on earth and goodwill toward men”. In the name of their religion or of justice, some have tried to force their beliefs on others and the carnage lasts to the present day. Consider, for example, the Crusades as Muslims and Christians wreaked mayhem on each other with “God on their side”. No one is going to create peace on earth for us, but we can follow Mother Teresa’s advice, “Go home and love your family”. Perhaps it is true that children raised on love don’t start wars.
We can set the example that Jesus encouraged by being the light of the world, the city on a hill. We can live the peace that we want for ourselves and our world. Doing that won’t make all the wars go away but we will have fewer of them and we can devote more of our resources to making our portions of humanity and time peaceful places of light and plenty. It is both a choice and a matter of faith.
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.” – John Lennon