Is there no peace on earth?

A few days ago on the way home from Lydia's basketball game, as I looked out the window of the bus at the evening lights of the city, my thoughts were abruptly turned to the words of that familiar Christmas song that begins, “ I heard the bells on Christmas day ...” Remembering the phrase in one verse.....

There is no peace on earth.

Seven shots rang out. At least three hit the roof of the bus I was on a few seats back from where I was seated. The bus erupted in nervous chatter as the driver sped on. One rider watched me intently, probably wondering what my reaction would be. We have seen busses shot at before, but this is the first time one of us was on a bus when it happened.

There is no peace on earth.

The lines were long, a few people behind me in line at the checkout a man yelled at the clerk and complained for a good thirty minutes about having to wait in line. A few others joined him in heckling the clerks.

There is no peace on earth.

The stores are full of things to buy, Papa Noel or Santa Clause is everywhere, Christmas carols play through the loud speakers at the store, but in English and not Portuguese as they rarely sing carols here. As I enter the magazine shop the headlines on the newspaper scream out – protest blocks main road. That is not all that unusual here.

There is no peace on earth.

As I left the house yesterday and went through or front gate I met the guard who roams the road in front of our house. As he escorted me to the bus stop he told me he would like to go to the USA to meet all the rock stars. Crime is down on our street since he patrols during the day, another guard at night. Later as I returned home through the school, a barrier was lowered to let me pass down the road the school is on and a guard opened the gate to the school property.

There is no peace on earth.

All around me, every day, are reminders that there is no peace here. Where ever you are, you need go no further than your own neighborhood. No matter where you are as you look around hate or greed, or evil or human sinfulness seem to mock the words that angels spoke so long ago to shepherds. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

But, there is no peace on earth.

What happened? Where the angels words just a nice thought for Christmas time? Has the message of the angels gone unfulfilled? Even Christ himself said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” ( Mat. 10:34)

Look at the words again that the angels said, they did not say that the baby Jesus whose birth they announced came to bring peace on earth, but on earth peace to men. And so he did bring us peace here on earth through his death. Even when we look around and see battles, even when hate or greed, or evil or human sinfulness seem to mock the words that angels spoke so long ago to shepherds; when there is no peace on earth, there is always, for those who choose to make Jesus the Lord of all here on earth peace in their hearts and souls.

There is no peace on earth, but there is peace to men on earth.