Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All

Prompted by these words, military ceasefires have been issued during the Christmas season. These ceasefires, however, have often not been used as a time to construct paths to long-term peace. Yet, throughout the world, across religions and peoples, the concept of peace calls deeply from within our hearts.

Not everyone in the Imagine! Newsletter community celebrates Christmas. Yet, all of our lives are impacted, in some way, by changes in the rhythm of our workplaces and schools, the inundation of commercials for gift-giving, and the social expectations for families to gather. In the midst of the social demands that often accompany this holiday season, how do you identify and honor what brings you peace?

Having an awareness of what brings you peace is important as this year offers new or more exacting challenges for many of us. For example, personal and collective grieving about the deaths of loved ones and lives forever changed from Covid. And, weariness as we witness the growing impacts of unfettered greed and lust for power while simultaneously ignoring the groanings of Mother Earth and regarding the bodies and lives of some people valuable only in the service of others. We are distressed by the intensifying political divides fueled by the lies and lunacies of politicians. In these times, many of us long for a ceasefire from social, political, religious, economic, and military battles so that we might experience peace on earth and goodwill.

Enduring the devastations of war in his homeland (Vietnam) prepared the soul of Buddhist monk and activist Thich Nhat Hanh to write three books on the topic of peace. In Peace Is Every Step, Hanh writes... “Enlightenment, peace and joy will not be granted by someone else.” In other words, it is up to us to find/create our own peace.

It is in the absence of peace that we often understand and honor the value of peace. After being raped at age 14, though unsure of God’s existence at the time, I began to pray, “Give me peace, and I will give you my life.” To this day, I know that my prayer for peace transcended my intellectual understanding of what peace was and how to attain it. As a young, traumatized child, my prayer for peace emerged from my soul.

As you approach this holiday season and the ending of 2022, with whatever realities you are facing – loss of loved ones, financial struggles, strife within your family, pressures of the dominant culture, or other chaos and conflict -- listen closely to the prayer and longing for peace that may be coming from your soul. Prayers for your own life, your family, our world, international relations, environmental groanings or whatever they may be. As you may gather with family and friends, listen first and most deeply to what you need for peace.  Perhaps you need to let go of the expectations you have been holding onto - about how people should show up including yourself, or about forgiving yourself or others. Give yourself permission to do what brings you peace. Or perhaps refresh your willingness to trust the God of your understanding to journey with you no matter the circumstances. Invite peace to be your every step. May peace flow from you.

Blessings and Peace,

Dr. Cari