Christmas Thoughts & Wishes

Happy Holidays to all… as we celebrate in this crazy year of news, crazy weather, and crazy political events.  What more can one say!  Rather humorously the phrase  “Peace on Earth” and “Good will to Men” has become an impossible wish that even praying appears unable to solve considering the religion of violence which has overcome us all.

As I sit here on the quiet “Back Street” of old Eaton I am blessed in a way... its quiet, boring, everyday life, is a far cry from the world out there.  Oh yes there are problems here and there, but it is a country town quite capable of sustaining itself in a permanent state of suspension.  No terror acts, little crime, prayer groups, basketball at the church, gossip at the local mini-mart and small groups of people that keep the cemetery, church, fire department and museum going.

I do wonder if we here in America who have so much ever stop to consider how very fortunate even the poor are.  We have no war that is bombing us, destroying our communities, reducing our cities to ruble or turning our children’s lives into horror.  Yes children’s lives, that help form the hatred for the invaders or the enemies that are causing them so much pain. A learned hatred that passes onto fighting of more wars and reasons to for them to become warriors.

Reflecting on all this I hope for a moment that we all stop to consider what we have and offer a prayer or wish that all men on earth would one-day share in the richness of what we have.

To those amongst us who are the “have not’s”…take heart and continue on… look around and appreciate what you do have if only good friends or good family or strangers that care.  To the “haves” try not to flaunt it…money and gifts cannot buy happiness for your loved ones or for you.  That “Christmas Feeling”…is short lived. 

I try to look back to a time when a child was born…a child who changed the world’s thinking… a child that advocated peace and understanding.  

There have been many of them…and we need many more.  Children that grew up and changed the world around them with peace and hopeful words not words of hatred, boasting or threatening…only words advocating peace and acceptance… truly great men and women like Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, John the XXIII, and many more…and of course, the man whose birthday we celebrate this week Jesus Christ! 

We need men and women who advocate on behalf of People... poor or rich, old or young, of this religion or that… ones who are pushing the one thought of Christmas… “Peace on Earth and Good Will to ALL Mankind.

A bit of history on John the XXIII.