Peace on
Earth
„Peace
on earth and goodwill among men.“ The angels who proclaimed the birth of Christ
to the shepherds on the hills of Bethlehem with these words expressed the fact
that without goodwill there would be no peace on earth. Ever since the fall of
mankind peace has been elusive. We desperately need peace on this earth. Why is
it so difficult for people, ethnic groups and nations to live in peace with each other, respecting
their unique individualism?
As
long as we are not directly affected by armed conflicts ourselves, we tend to
forget that we are living in a world where the opposite of peace is a constant
part of people’s lives. We hear of wars and rumours of wars but push the
thoughts away until the next newscast brings them back again into our
consciousness. The news only mention the current crises, and the many regions
ravaged by armed conflicts are not mentioned unless a new attack catches the
interest of the media. At the moment there
are more than 20 armed conflicts in our apparently so peaceful world.
When
I lived in the city of Turku in Finland, I used to go to the old cathedral
square at noon on December 24th to hear the declaration of Christmas peace.
This tradition dates back to the 14th century, when the rulers declared a 20 day
period of peace starting at Christmas. During this time any disruptions would
be punished more severely than at other times. This tradition was common in the
medieval Swedish kingdom of which Finland was a part, but the only place where
it has survived is the Finnish city of Turku. It has been observed condtinuously
throughout the centuries with only a few exceptions, like in 1939 when it was
canceled due to possible Russian air raids.
The
declaration is read from the balcony of the Brinkkala house by the civic chief
of protocol in both national languages – Finnish and Swedish - beginning with
the words: „Tomorrow, if God wills, is the merciful feast of the birth of our
Saviour.“ Then all the things are listed that are considered as disturbances of
peace. Thousands of people gather to hear these words. The program of the
ceremony includes a military brass band and a male choir. It is an emotional
occasion for Finns as they sing the national anthem and the hymn „A mighty
Fortress is our God.“ It reminds them
how much their independence and peace cost. The hymn gave hope and courage to
the people of Finland as they struggled to defend their independence in the
so-called Winter War of 1939-40. They turned to God for protection, trusting
that theirs was a just cause, hoping for
peace and prosperity as an independent nation. Maybe the emotional
meaning of this is something only a Finn can really understand.
This
year we are all fighting another war against an unseen enemy, and so due to the
Corona pandemic the declaration of Christmas peace will be broadcast from Turku
without the usual crowds in attendance. And yet the message of peace on earth
we so badly need will reach the world through the air waves. Would that peace
was as contagious as the virus! How wonderful it would be if it were possible
to end all strife just by declaring peace at Christmas and on every other day
of the year!
Blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year!
Watch the ceremony: https://areena.yle.fi/1-50632774?autoplay=true
Yle/Screenshot
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