Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men

Offering Talk for December 25

I don’t know about you, but I needed Christmas for no other reason than to hear Christmas Carols! To me, they are uplifting to my spirit. I was going through carols the other day. Does anyone remember the carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day? Let me read you (sing?) the carol’s first verse.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

If ever there was a time when we need peace on earth and goodwill to men, it’s today.

Then I came to the third verse of the carol. I am not sure I have ever read or sung the verse. Let me read it:

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, goodwill to men.”

When I read that, I thought, wow, the last few years have caused many people to feel despair. I did a little research and found that the author of this carol, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1864. Our nation still had six more months of the Civil War left. Longfellow did indeed face despairing times.

But thank God, that’s verse three. Listen to the final two verses:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men! ^1.

https://www.lyricsforchristmas.com/christmas-carols/i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day/

2022 might be verse three of I Heard the Bells, but we believe God for living out the remaining verses. Every time you give here, your generosity helps us proclaim the Good News of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men. Thank you for your support. Because of you, we will continue fighting despair in YOUR CITY, bringing Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men.