Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men!
Everyday, the news brings us face-to-face w/ tragedy, hatred, & dysfunction, mocking the notions of “peace on earth, good-will to men.” But today, we are reminded that the victory is already won.
Hello! I just thought I’d send out a special Christmas edition of Self-Evident. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it relatively brief, and if you’d rather go back to playing with all your new toys (or putting together your kids’ new toys), I promise I will not be offended one bit.
I just thought I’d offer a little something for those of heavy mind and heavy heart, such as myself, who might be having trouble focusing on the positive amidst a world that often seems so full of calamity.
Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men!
In the midst of the American Civil War, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose own son had been grievously wounded in the fighting, picked up his pen and offered these mournful passages:
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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!”
While it may often feel as such, the American nation thankfully does not find itself torn apart by civil war and brotherly bloodshed. Despite the calls of catastrophe we hear from so many corners, the institutions of our republic remain strong. and, though the rhetoric of the disparate factions has reached a fevered pitch, and political violence has manifested itself on all sides, the contest for power in America remains one of politics and ballot boxes, not rifles and bullets.
Nevertheless, this Christmas finds our nation in a dark place. Many Americans, from all corners of political persuasion, have grown convinced that significant groups of their fellow citizens constitute the gravest threat to their way of life. Many Americans across the country have embraced a view of politics that demands absolute defeat of their ideological foes to secure any kind of future for themselves and their values.
And, added to this political rancor is this dark winter of international conflict and internal turmoil. Vladimir Putin’s designs for conquest remain stymied, but the long-term result of the war is still an open question. Thousands of Ukrainians have died, and much of the country still lies under threat from Russian bombs and UAVs. Israel is still reeling from the pogrom of October 7th, with no end yet in sight as the Israeli Defense Force seeks to remove the threat of Hamas once and for all. And a broader conflict in the Middle East may linger on the horizon as Hezbollah threatens to open up a new front for Israel and American forces continue to come under attack from Iranian proxies in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. To make matters even worse, we continue to see shocking and chilling displays of anti-semitism at home and abroad.
Every day, the news we read, hear, and watch brings us face-to-face with tragedy, hatred, and dysfunction. It all seems to truly mock the notions of “peace on earth, good-will to men.”
But when times feel terrible, and the promises of the Prince of Peace feel out of reach, I often turn to several poignant passages of Latter-day Saint scripture:
“If fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?”
Above the politics and above the noise of our earthly woes, I seek to carry the hope that came with the birth of Jesus Christ. Even in the midst of our country’s, and the world’s, woes, I seek to nevertheless be grateful that times such as these bring a sharp focus to what happened on that first Christmas and what that blessed event meant for the redemption of the human race.
He has already overcome the world. The victory is already won. This Christmas, no amount of despair can take away the joy and the peace that came with God’s gift to His children: the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
So, today, I can echo in full confidence the final words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem:
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, good-will to men."
Merry Christmas!
Justin Stapley received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Utah Valley University, with emphases in political philosophy, public law, American history, and constitutional studies. He is the Founding and Executive Director of The Freemen Foundation as well as Editor in Chief of the Freemen News-Letter. @JustinWStapley