As I may have mentioned in previous contributions to these articles, anyone who knows me will know my great love of music – particularly rock music. I am often told that my seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of music through the decades means that I can often search out a song that fits any occasion, topic or situation. And as I was thinking about this week’s subject I was reminded of a track from the album “All that you can’t leave behind” by U2, entitled “Peace on Earth”.
The song was written in response to the Omagh Bombing on 15 August 1998 when a car bomb, set by the Real IRA, went off killing 29 people and injuring 220 more. This was of course after the Good Friday agreement signed earlier that year and was the deadliest single incident of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The bombing caused outrage around the world; led ultimately to the peace process being spurred on and the dissident Irish Republican group to also declared a ceasefire.
Bono, of the band U2, said that as he wrote the words to this song, which includes the names of the victims and inspiration from the funeral of James Baker, that he was dismayed by the event, calling it “the lowest day of my life, outside of personal losses.” He felt that during Christmas that year it had been hard to find comfort in the familiar words, “Peace on earth, goodwill to those with whom God is pleased”, and was concerned that the peace process would be wrecked.
When we are faced with the seemingly endless stories of people’s inhumanity to other people, we too can worry that the promise of the Angels will not come true. And yet as we look to the sky again this year perhaps we can find our own peace on earth.
It seems like for so many Christmas is an event to get through and not to enjoy for what it means to all of humankind – past, present and future. The birth of the Saviour in Bethlehem led to his growing, teaching, serving and ultimately dying and being raised to life again for us.
I know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some. The expectation, the stress, the issues of getting everything done. Of it being as perfect as it can possibly be, of the loneliness and family issues that some experience. The feeling that it seems as if after one day it’s all over and we have “got through it” again for another year.
But surely we can hear the message given from the Angels to the Shepherds, that a Saviour has been born and where they can find him. As the Angel is joined by a host of others, the song is heard across the skies, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Perhaps this year we can commit to trying, in some small way, to echo the song of the angels and to do our part to bring peace on earth?
Catherine Booton