God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (stanza 4)
Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas All others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
For years when I heard this eighteenth-century carol, I envisioned scenes from “Merry ol’ England” reminiscent of an eighteenth or nineteenth-century Masterpiece Theatre series. I’ve always enjoyed singing this carol because it emphasizes the possibility of peace on earth resulting from Christ’s birth: the friendship and brotherhood/sisterhood that could be ours if we follow our Savior’s example.
Because of a personal concern, this carol has a special meaning for me now. It reminds me of the unofficial truce between some German and British soldiers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1914 and between some German and French troops during that time in 1915. In the midst of all the horrors of trench warfare in World War I, these men joined in celebrating the holy tidings of Christmas. They exchanged gifts and souvenirs, played soccer, and sang carols. They experienced comfort and joy—but just for this one night and day. The holy tide of Christmas, this brief time of love and brotherhood/sisterhood, did not “deface” the horrors to come for many nights and days.
I have a son-in-law who will be serving his second Christmas in Iraq. He also spent Christmas in Bosnia in 1996. Although he’s never been involved in actual fighting and has only occasionally encountered any danger, he is and has been in places barren of love and brotherhood/sisterhood. The angelic tidings of peace heard long ago have not prevented feelings and acts of hatred in these places. Nor have the revered tidings of other faiths deterred their adherents from going astray and causing dismay.
Yet we Christians experience the comfort and joy from the tidings resounding during this holy tide of Christmas. Certainly our loved ones who, for whatever reason are in harm’s way, experience restful moments of renewed hope for the world and themselves. May theses glimpses of what Jesus came to earth to show us fill us with love for others. May they also, because of our belief in Him and our actions for Him, give us the comfort and joy that Christ would have us enjoy.
Gracious God, we know that You came into the world as one of us to bring peace on earth. We ask forgiveness for our failure to live lives filled with comfort and joy. Collectively, we ask for Your guidance in leading us to base our decisions and actions on promoting brotherhood and sisterhood among your children. As individuals, we ask You to help us make the choices and commitments that free us from the anxieties of the Christmas season and give us the joy that following Christ brings every day. Amen.
Jerry Rogers
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