Peace {Advent, Week 2}

I was reading WORLD magazine’s article on the Daniels of the year, and it both inspired and sobered me. Sometimes it seems a mockery to speak of peace in this chaos of a world, but I think we do not have the right conception of peace. Someday, there will be the peace we yearn for—true rest from all strife. But for now, there is another form of peace. 

~

Peace, peace, 

They cry

But there is no peace.

I can feel it in the fury of the wind that tears through trees;

I can see it in the sobbing eyes of a one too young to know this pain;

I can hear it in the hallelujahs that are as forced as the smiles on the faces—

There is no peace.

~

Peace, peace,

They cry,

But there is no peace.

~

I can taste it in the tang of the tears that strike like swords;

I can read it in the reports of the deaths and the fear and the hate;

I can spell it in the secret crevices of my heart that I can never seem to conquer—

There is no peace.

~

Peace on earth,

They cried,

But there is no peace.

~

Where is the peace You promised?

Where is the harmony You heralded?

Where is the rest You revealed?

~

The news rings with yet another story of

Murder and martyrs and rape and riots

There is no peace 

But maybe, if I but look beyond the pain

Is there a reason for this madness?

I can find some whisper of the truth,

Some glimpse of starlight.

Is there any light in this great darkness? 

~

I stare hard at the hurt, face the fire, and I find

Brothers and sisters dying for the Name,

Brothers and sisters strong in the storm,

Brothers and sisters standing tall,

This blaze of bloody glory.

~

I stare hard at the hurting, the heroes, and I find that

Even as they die, they are at—

Is it possible?—

Peace.

They have peace.

They, who are in the very thick of the storm,

They have peace.

~

Peace, peace,

They cry—

Peace on earth,

They cried—

And maybe this is the secret,

That peace is not the absence of strife.

~

It is the standing strong in the midst of it.

Quoted verses: Jeremiah 6:14; Luke 2:14

Verses on persecution: Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 4:12