Growing up, the holiday music album my parents played the most had a variety of artists, and included one track sung by Johnny Cash, titled “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.” The song lyrics have been haunting me over the past few weeks.
The shooting at Brown University. The tragic killing of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife. The assassination of Charlie Kirk and conspiracies blaming Israel for it. The targeted slaughter of Minnesota politicians. And the online hate that some politicians can’t seem to resist whipping up for selfish ends. There’s also Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, as well as what’s happening with Venezuela. Authoritarians seem on the rise, and some elected leaders appear eager to emulate them.
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…”
But I have some good news. As Freedom House reports. “Despite the overall global decline in freedom, bright spots emerged around the world as a result of competitive elections or following the collapse of long-standing authoritarian regimes.”
And the Heritage Foundation reports that despite the unilateral imposition of tariffs by the U.S. government, economic freedom is also generally increasing since 2000. The U.S. crime rates overall in 2024 fell to their lowest level since 1961 according to FBI data. And just like that, there’s hope and resilience in the song.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor does He sleep,
“For Christ is here; His Spirit near… brings peace on earth, good will to men…”
A popular poster in college showed the golden rule, linked to a number of different faiths. Despite attempts to divide us for political gain, there still are some universal truths that unite us.
“When men repent and turn from sin, The Prince of Peace then enters in,
“And grace imparts within their hearts, His peace on earth, good will to men…”
It must have seemed like dark times to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who penned the original lines in ‘Christmas of 1863’, borrowing from Luke’s Gospel (Chapter 2:14), nursing his oldest son, paralyzed from being shot while serving the North. Could Longfellow have believed that his iconic words would outlast the Civil War, and the scourge of slavery?
It must have seemed similarly bleak to David Bowie and Bing Crosby, when they recorded their duet “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy” following the Vietnam War, in 1977 just before the latter’s death. Did they somehow know their song would outlive the Soviet Union?
When Bono and U2 recorded “Peace on Earth” after the deadly Omagh bombing, the worst of its kind in the North Ireland conflict, did they sense that the cruel blast was the last gasp, and that that the situation in North Ireland is much less prone to violence than before that terror attack.
We need not mirror those in politics who traffic, even profit, in hate. We need to look past those who assume the title of leader, without managing to really show it, and follow the example of those who truly lead by example, calling us to serve everyone, including the less fortunate. Let’s make that our goal these days, to truly embrace this Christmas Season, and continue to pave the way for better times ahead.
“Then happy, singing on your way, Your world will change from night to day;
“Your heart will feel the message real, of peace on earth, good will to men.”