So sang the traditional Angelic Christmas Choir.
"Peace on earth," a 2000 year old dream to be realized within the context of men and women of good will united in their glorification of God.
It is a dream yet to be fulfilled but is still shared, shared by more of us than ever before.
Many of you will remember how we held our collective breath between October 16th and 22nd in the year 1962. History records those days under the title: "The Cuban Missile crisis." The world was threatened with imminent thermonuclear war.
On April 11th 1963 Pope John XXIII published "Pacem in Terris" ...Peace on Earth. It was a response to those unsettling days. Soon we will mark the 50th anniversary of that significant document.
For the first time in history, a Papal encyclical was addressed, not simply to the Catholic Church but to all men and women of good will.
The central theme of "Pacem in Terris" is that good will, alone, is not enough. Also essential to global peace is an economic system that is grounded in the common good.
So, is it stretching the point to suggest that the message of Christmas, the theme of the Angelic Chorus, is of urgent political relevance?
Is it something top level advisors and think-tank members should be considering? ... Now, who is dreaming?
I know ...but remember that the baby of Bethlehem grew to be a man like none other and gave us a gift, a VERY special gift.
"My gift to you," He said, "IS PEACE! It is," he continued, "A peace that the world CANNOT give ...It is mine and mine alone to offer."
If we ALL chose to open our hearts and minds to Jesus and, like Him, made God’s reign on earth our first priority, there would no longer be injustice, poverty or war on a scale anywhere near what we have sadly come to expect.
If ONLY those of us who are professed, baptized Christians did this the difference in universal political and financial structures would be immense.
If ONLY we, who are confirmed, baptized worshiping members of the Catholic Church were to do so it would be a cleansing witness of extraordinary significance.
If ONLY we, the members of this little parish were to do so, to fully open our hearts and minds to Jesus, it just might get the ball rolling!
Then again, perhaps it would not do so. But would it do any harm?
After all, Christmas is for dreamers.
