"Let There Be Peace on Earth"
On Monday, I led the prayers during the public Remembrance Day Service in Nanaimo.
The theme for the opening prayers was 'Peace'.
I ended the prayer with these words: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”
Many of us will recognize these words made famous from the folksong movement of the 1950’s, through the 1970’s—a movement renowned for its easy singing, straightforward texts, and prophetic messages.
In 1955 Sy Miller and Jill Jackson-Miller wrote this song, which became a signature composition devoted to peace.
"Let There Be Peace on Earth"
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me;
let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator,
family all are we.
Let us walk with each other
in perfect harmony.
It was during these three decades, “youth camps” were all the fashion.
These camp-experiences gathered youth of every stripe (religious, ethnic, socioeconomic backgrounds). On one occasion, the camp met high up on a mountainside and ended with the campers singing this song, as they moved down the hillside.
They had captured the vision of the writers, and returned with a focus and belief that “if they could share it with the world, a climate of peace and understanding would infect the world."
They were right.
At the present moment, our world is facing many challenges--created out of desire for power and supremacy in the political world.
For us as Christians, the focus will soon shift to Advent—one of the highpoints of the Christian year. Our focus will be to prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
May we keep our eyes “Looking for the Star in the East” as we begin this season of preparation.
May we remember the Patriarchs, the Prophets, John the Baptist, and The Blessed Virgin Mary.
Blessings,
Archdeacon Brian +
