Listening

Do you hear what I hear?

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807 – 1882

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

    And wild and sweet

    The words repeat 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

    Had rolled along

    The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,

The world revolved from night to day,

    A voice, a chime,

    A chant sublime 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

    And with the sound 

    The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearth-stones of a continent,

    And made forlorn

    The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

    "For hate is strong,

    And mocks the song 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

    The Wrong shall fail,

    The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

O that today of all days -  ‘the people who walk in darkness will see a great light.’ And that ‘The light will shine on those living in the land of dark shadows.’ Isaiah 9:2

O God, 

When the world grows dark

and the advance of evil appears unstoppable,

may we never lose our vision

of Emmanuel's light.

When society seems uncaring

and indifference predominates,

may we never forget the warmth

of Emmanuel's love.

When people cry out for justice

but self-interest prevails,

may we never lose the fire

of Emmanuel's anger.

When we know we must speak out

but our tongue seems to shrivel,

may we draw boldness from the truth

of Emmanuel's proclamations.

 

When those we must confront are powerful

and our hearts grow fearful,

may we take strength from the courage

of Emmanuel's actions.

O God,

When the moment comes

and we must make our stand,

may it always be

at Emmanuel's side.