Advent is the time that the Church prepares for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Leading up to Christmas, we take the time to focus on the values and promises that can be found in Jesus Christ. Last Sunday, we lit the candle of peace.
One of the hallmarks of the Christmas story is when the angels appear to the shepherds and proclaim, “Peace on earth,” in Luke 2:14. Jesus brought about peace in the most unexpected ways. When he arrived, Jesus showed us peace, not born out of violence or conquest, but out of love and forgiveness
Jesus gives us inner peace as well as peace with others. Because of His sacrifice, we have received salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit that calms, assures, and guides our inner thoughts. With God, we also have peace with others. Jesus taught us to put aside our differences and love one another, because we all belong to the same family of God. Peace from God, biblical peace, allows us to trust in God’s promises (Proverbs 3:5), through faith, despite the dark, scary world around us. The peace of God transcends our circumstances and world.
The Hebrew word for peace: Shalom, goes far beyond not fighting with others or peace as we know it. Shalom is, in essence, how things are meant to be: a slice of heaven. The peace of God allows us to look at others through heaven’s eyes with empathy, forgiveness, and understanding. It can help guide us to see God’s kingdom and where we can help bring the peace of heaven to Earth.