In The Middle East, nearly 3,000 years ago, an ancient prophecy was made. It foretold that in the future, a child would be born. He would become the great ‘Sar Shalom’, meaning the ‘Commander’ or ‘Prince’ of Peace. He would be the Messiah – the anointed – the chosen one.
Nearly a third of people across the whole world believe that this prophecy came true, that The Prince of peace was born and they celebrate his birth at this time, every year. They are of course, Christians, named after the Greek word for the chosen one who was promised – the Christ.
For Christians, and for all of us, there are moments of Christmas, which feel amazing. One such example for me this year was the incredibly moving and beautiful Carol Service last week. For each of us, there are also moments when Christmas can feel utterly stressful, difficult and chaotic. It’s easy to be cynical about Christmas. There’s a great irony that the celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace, often brings many moments that don’t feel peaceful at all. Black Friday brawls, quarrels and long queues, awkward, sometimes even unpleasant family dynamics. There’s the rushing around and stressing about money, and presents, and guests, and preparing food, and decorating, and putting on events, and the loudness of commercialism, and the pressure to find the right gift, and on top of that, we’re all tired. It’s dark. It’s wet. And it’s cold. Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, doesn’t just mean the absence of war; but also rest, tranquillity and wholeness. In a world which is quite literally at war with itself, such a peace can feel far away.
I expect you noticed that over the past week, Storm Darragh has been wreaking havoc up and down the country. There is a depiction of another raging storm by one of my favourite artists, Rembrandt. He portrays a group of fishermen crossing the sea of Galilee, when suddenly, they are battered and buried by the winds and waves of great tempest. All the while, Jesus, the Prince of Peace is sleeping restfully in the boat, like the stillness in the eye of the storm. Fearing for their lives, Jesus’ friends shake him awake and plead for help. ‘Save us’ they cry. At that moment, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, commands the winds and the waves to be still. Miraculously, the winds stop and the waves calm themselves. All is at peace.
Christians believe that as the Prince of Peace, Jesus has the power to calm troubled seas and troubled souls even now. For them, peace is still found in the person of Jesus Christ. He brings hope and comfort, even in the midst of chaos and conflict, so that we don’t need to fear.
In anticipation of Jesus’ birth the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah… Glory to God in heaven, and peace to all on earth’. In his life and teachings, Jesus blessed the peacemakers, those who resolve conflict and seek to reach a peaceful solution, whom he called the children of God. And in anticipation of his final moments on earth, Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’.
No matter what your beliefs are about who Jesus was, I encourage all of us to be bringers of peace this Christmas season. Create and be places of refuge and safety for each other. and give yourself the gift of peace.
I invite you to take a moment of peace now, either to reflect or to pray. This Christmas season, we pray for moments of peace. In particular, we pray for those who will feel the absence of loved ones and for those who are in the midst of conflict throughout the world. We reflect on what it would mean to have peace in our hearts and homes this Christmas and finally, we reflect on how we might be able to be the gift of peace.
May peace be with you,
Chaplain Jest