Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

We sing Angel songs at Christmas time of peace on earth and long for it to be true. Yet this dream is well beyond us in world events, across homes and many personal lives. The contradictions are often heightened in a season of hope, like Christmas. So, like angels returning to heaven, the vision fades; and the Christmas hope for peace becomes a once a year fancy for children but of little use when faced with real problems.

Yet the Angel’s song is not sung as a wishful fancy. Jesus is born into a world of brutal powers, crushed hopes, real poverty. His time was as evil, violent and oppressed as any. In the midst of this, because of this, the birth of Jesus stirred hope in Angels to sing of God’s glory and peace. This is not escapism. To those on whom his favour rests, to every nation and person who will sing with the Angels, peace has come.

Lighting the Second candle: We light this candle to remind us Jesus came to bring peace to our chaotic world. We pray his peace will increase so all may thrive and know God’s glory.

Prayer of St Francis: 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… 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. Amen.

Peace,

Jason