Aggressive Peaceنموونە

Peace on Earth

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'" (Luke 2:13-14, ESV).

That night was silent, like many other nights. Especially in a field far from the hustle and bustle, near a small village named Bethlehem. During that time, the people of Israel were under Roman occupation.

A seemingly ordinary night, like many others, suddenly transformed into a night overflowing with astonishing miracles. The shepherds were visited by an angel accompanied by a multitude of heavenly soldiers, presenting a magnificent choir.

A thrilling and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.'

I wonder if the shepherds were tempted to think of it as a contradiction. On one hand, the reality of their lives was difficult and bitter. The pressure and oppression by the Romans made their lives anything but peaceful. God's promises to the nation of Israel seemed vague, as if the Lord had abandoned them.

Yet now they witnessed the might of the heavenly host (in Greek, the word used is ‘stratia’ which implies an army), undoubtedly more powerful than all the Roman forces combined, even surpassing all the armies of the world united.

I imagine, would they wonder why the heavenly host didn't go to Herod's palace or the headquarters of the Roman army. They could easily have liberated Israel from oppression and brought peace among them and to the entire world.

Then, as they sang about peace, what kind of peace in the midst of their suffering, oppression, and injustice?

But it wasn't so. The shepherds paid no attention to such contradictions.

The Bible tells how the shepherds, with enthusiasm, faith, and overflowing joy, sought the baby Jesus, glorified God, and proclaimed the good news to everyone they met.

My friends, as this reflection is written at the end of 2023, the state of the world can be considered far from the usual peace. Wars, deaths, and suffering are happening in various parts of the world. The world is just beginning to recover from a prolonged pandemic crisis, and an economic crisis is affecting many countries, followed by wars, impacting the lives of many.

The world is not at peace.

How do we make peace with the external circumstances?

Yet that's the Christmas message from the angels and the heavenly host thousands of years ago, still relevant today.

The outside conditions may be tumultuous, chaotic, challenging, and painful. Yet we don't rely on external circumstances to have peace.

The peace we have is a gift from God, by His grace and favour, given to us, regardless of the state of the world or how the world treats us.

The song of the heavenly host fulfils the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah about the coming of the Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5). Lord Jesus came to reconcile the world with God. He bestows that peace upon us, so that we can carry it out, spreading peace in the midst of an unsettled and restless world.

We have a choice; we can let the world's unrest influence us, retaliate eye for an eye, and unleash our anger on an unjust world. Or we can choose to accept the peace that the Lord has given and flow that peace into the world.

Christ is our peace, the Prince of Peace who lives within us. Let Him reign in our lives and through our lives, so that the world sees the coming of the Prince of Peace.