Give Peace a Chance

Faith in the Public Square
Lompoc Record
December 9, 2007

Today many churches will light a second candle of Advent. This is the “Peace Candle.” It's a candle whose time has come. Despite promises of “wars to end all wars” and “peace dividends,” the world seems no closer to “peace in our time” than it was a century ago. I could take the pessimistic view and believe that peace will never come. But even if full peace lies beyond our grasp, surely something approximating it is possible.
The message of peace is found clearly stated in the promise of the prophet Isaiah, who foresaw the day when the nations would come to God's mountain to learn the ways of peace. It is said that in that day God will judge the nations and arbitrate their disputes. And, on that day the people will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:1-5 NRSV). This is truly a “peace dividend.”
The message that's sounded out in the gospel of Luke also promises peace. There the shepherds gather on the hillside, while the angels sing out: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors” (Luke 2:14 NRSV). Believing that God favors the whole of creation, I take great comfort in this promise. I also know that the promises given in Isaiah and in Luke require a significant degree of effort on my part. Perhaps the reason the Peace of God has not yet come to us is that we have not tried to live together in peace.
Time and again we have heard promises of peace, but they have yet to bear fruit. The Romans of old proclaimed a peace (the Pax Romana), but it came by way of the sword and submission to the Empire's power. There is, however, an alternative possibility. As Marcus Borg and Dominick Crossan suggest, the promise of Christmas is that peace comes nonviolently as we embrace the justice of God. Peace comes as we, like Jesus, choose to embrace our neighbor's cause so that justice might be had by all. To truly understand the Advent-Christmas message one must choose nonviolence over violence. Borg and Crossan write: “Christmas is not about tinsel and mistletoe or even ornaments and presents, but about what means will we use toward the end of a peace from heaven upon our earth” (The First Christmas, 2007).

As we wrestle with the hustle and bustle of the season, might we stop to light a candle of peace? No better example exists for us than Martin Luther King, who chose nonviolence as the means to overcome racism in our land. In his 1964 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, America's prophet said:

“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

Choosing nonviolence isn't an easy path. It will require great sacrifice on our part. Jesus, Gandhi, Dr. King, all spoke of peace through nonviolence, and all suffered a violent death. But their witness remains with us.
The hopes and dreams of our children's future and their children's dreams depend on the choices we make now. As we consider the question of peace, won't you share with me this prayer often attributed to St. Francis (it's likely a modern prayer, but it's true to his spirit).

Lord make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, Joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Having prayed this prayer, won't you join me in lighting the candle of peace?

Dr. Bob Cornwall is pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Lompoc (www.lompocdisciples.org). He blogs at pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com and can be contacted at lompocdisciples@impulse.net or c/o First Christian Church, P.O. Box 1056, Lompoc, CA 93438.

December 9, 2007

Comments

Calendars are divided as to whether the peace candle is the 2nd or 3rd of Advent. 1 is always Hope and 4 is always Joy, but it depends on which calendar you see as to which order peace and love are placed. We could use more ecumenical consensus here. Then again, Eastern churches have 40 day Advents just like 40 Day Lents!

Popular Posts