OF ALL THE MESSAGES of Christmas, the hope for "Peace on earth, goodwill to all" remains the most compelling. While there may be differences about whether there was a Messiah, whether he was born on December 25, or any of the other theological points of difference which surround the birth of a man named Jesus, the concept of Peace on earth which is associated with Him is a universal goal.
The attainment of that peace, however, remains elusive. In every corner of the globe, it seems that strife and war fester. The hoped-for goodwill among persons remains out of reach. In our own lives here in Jamaica, we have had more than our share of praying and hoping for peace and goodwill, but we continue to be haunted by the spectre of violence which diminishes and destroys, not only the lives of individuals and communities, but the good name of the entire nation.
It is particularly disturbing when it occurs within the family, scarring children who should be nurtured for the future. It is sobering to reflect that domestic conflict spawns a high percentage of the acts of crime and violence, the antithesis of peace, which bedevil us. While this may be no less heinous than other anti-social acts, it is still a cause for special regret that the home, the cradle of the nation's future, should become a hell instead of a haven.
As the nation is blanketed by the effects of the senseless degradation of our common life, it is evident that there are those whose hearts know no peace. The scourge afflicts nations far and wide. Throughout this year in the Middle East, ironically the location of the birth which we celebrate, the clouds of war have hung over its people who wrestle with conflict each day. Perhaps the most poignant symbol of man's rejection of peace is to be found in the town of Bethlehem, whose virtues are extolled in a popular carol of the season, "Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie." Bethlehem is not still at all. The very place of the Nativity, so revered by Christians, has been caught in the crossfire of territorial wrangling between the Israelis and the Palestinians, to the extent that entrance to what is regarded as one of the holiest sites of Christendom is not always accessible. In the words of one of the hymns of reflection preceding the festivities of Christmas, the question resonates to the entire world "Where is thy reign of peace/And purity and love/ When shall all hatred cease/As in the realm above?"
If that elusive peace is to be found, if the true meaning of Christmas is to be actualised, then the quest must engage every mind, at home and abroad. Peace has been defined on occasion as "not the absence but the management of conflict." Perhaps that is as good a place as any to start, with a personal determination on the part of each and every individual of whatever nationality, gender and belief, that true peace begins in the heart, that our differences must be managed, that there is validity in the injunction to "love neighbour as self and do to others as we would have them do to us."
It is in that spirit that we would wish for our leaders, our nation and the world at large "Peace on earth, goodwill to all." In the words of another popular song of inspiration, "Let there be peace on earth/And let it begin with me." That, we believe, is the true Spirit of Christmas, to be upheld in this season and beyond.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
