JUST a hundred years ago, wars fought on battlefields, left men physically scarred, as even if they were fortunate to come home alive, they came wounded with either the loss of arm, leg, or even a mutilated face, plus horrors and traumas which sometimes never went away as night after night they relived the terrible scenes they had witnessed. During World War II as the Germans and English fought, Christmas dawned on the battlefield and the two armies decided on a truce.
Suddenly from the German lines came the sound of a Christmas Carol being sung and from the same trenches soldiers with white flags stepped over to the British lines. The British were amazed and for a moment wondered if it was a trap, then ventured out, and walked to where the Germans were waiting.
Soon, soldiers from both sides met, hugged each other, exchanged gifts and spent the whole day singing carols and even praying together. It was a wonderful time of peace. It is that time of the year again, and to a world that is in strife, do I address these words. “Let us come together in peace!”
Let us during the next week look at our neighbour, and even our neighbouring countries as brothers and sisters and not as strangers. If two warring armies who had literally torn each other apart, because their leaders had told them to do so, could walk across man made barriers and hug each other, even as they had fought bitterly a few hours ago, then what stops us from wrapping ourselves with that same peace?
Reflect for a moment, that these divisions have been cunningly, cleverly and carefully crafted by political leaders to prop themselves up. Even as your eyes stray to that Baby lying in a manger, remember, three wisemen who would have been known as Gurujis came from the east, maybe India, to see the Baby, which means that this little child was meant to bring peace to all the world.
So let Him! This Christmas, this week, feel a sense of peace, and let that peace change our hearts and minds so much that we will leave our anger and hate aside, and walk like the Germans did across man made barriers to embrace our enemies! And later let us not go back to our own sides and renew the conflict, but end it once and for all, and live in peace like true brothers and sisters! Let this Christmas week be the start of a new Peace on Earth..!
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
