Then and Now!

We had hoped that the lesson of the Christmas truce in 1914 would serve us all. Alas! We had hoped that WWI might have been the war that ended all wars. Alas! Today, just days before Christmas we have another war raging in Europe. Alas! Although this outrageous war is confined for now within the borders of Ukraine, the horror and pain of war runs deep and beyond borders. Oh for another truce! Oh for another singing of Silent Night. Oh for the return of peace. Alas! Not so! Carol Ann Duffy’s poem The Christmas Truce was turned into a book and beautifully illustrated by David Roberts and was published in 2011. Rather than print the long poem I have posted a link to the reading of the poem which also shows some of the illustrations. Please pause and ponder her words. Join me, for still we pray for peace. And still we must work towards peace, no matter how long or silent the night!

Below please find the link to a reading of this poem.

Prayer:
O Holy God,
we pray the prayer
which longs
for peace.
We pray the prayer
which longs
for each person to be loved and embraced.
We pray the prayer
which longs
for enemies to become friends.
We pray the prayer
which longs
for fear to be dispelled
for difference to be a delight
for truth to be trusted,
for mercy to be unending
for human to be human.
O Holy God,
teach us such prayer and
teach us to walk this prayer into
the long cold nights that morning
might come and the sun shine,
and children laugh and play
and there be no need to hide underground. Amen.