"O come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, and be Thyself our King of Peace."
The first portion of Handel's Messiah includes many stunning Advent texts from Scripture. One of the best known is the chorus "For unto us a child is born," which gives the child's titles, among which is Prince of Peace. Consistent all through the ages that longed for the Messiah is this close association between the Messiah and peace. But the Messiah came 2,000 years ago and just look at the money our governments are still spending on war. It's definitely a test of our Advent patience! "Lord, make it happen!"
Peace isn't some sort of magic blanket that somehow descends from above and coats the earth like fresh-fallen snow. It has to spring up from within us. And yet the song "Let peace begin on earth and let it begin with me" has it all wrong. Peace doesn't begin with us; it begins with God, because you can't give what you haven't got. St. Francis knew better: "Make me a channel of your peace," he asked God.
And here I'm showing you another NYC Christmas photo to salute another lyricist, that wonderful singer Rob Thomas, who sends us "a Merry New York Christmas, and a prayer for peace on Earth" in a song he wrote for Christmas 2001. Check out the song, Rob's wonderful lyric gift.
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