Have you ever enjoyed the full prose of “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow? Even if it isn’t immediately familiar, you’ll likely recognize these words:
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!
As the prose continues – see full verses HERE – it becomes clear that this has United States Civil War history attached. Even though written that many years ago, this poem still “rings true” [sorry, couldn’t resist! 🙂 ] as we conclude 2022 with fighting on any number of fronts, and especially thinking of those in Ukraine.
We can take heart when reading the final words
…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.”
May that peace on earth, good-will to ALL become our mission…
POSSIBLE ACTIONS:
- Consider reading all verses of Longfellow’s prose HERE
- Maybe a little listening to a song using that Longfellow’s prose – – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day HERE?
- Check out background on the Christmas Bells poem and the song HERE
May you fully enjoy this final day of 2022, filled with the Spirit!
P.S. The CP Christmas playlist is HERE should you want to listen to more Christmas music
Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 1, 2023:
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