大象传媒

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rev Azariah France-Williams, priest, author and broadcaster.

Merry Christmas, these words refer to the festival of the divine interruption - the arrival of one known as the Prince of Peace into a chaotic and tumultuous world

In 1914 with the outbreak of World War One Pope Benedict the 15th called for a truce on Christmas day, to allow the troops on all sides to cease hostilities and take time to worship.

His request to the various governments fell on deaf ears. On Christmas Eve however, British soldiers heard carol singing coming from the German trenches.

At first the British soldiers feared a trap but seeing a couple of unarmed soldiers approaching across No Man鈥檚 Land they too cautiously crawled out, and by and large a truce was declared for Christmas.

Men sang carols together, they drank together. The iconic image of that moment was the spontaneous football game which was played between the sides. A British soldier, named John Ferguson, recounted : 鈥淗ere we were laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill!鈥�

It was a glimpse of the power of the Christmas story to create friends out of enemies. On that day the peace of Christmas triumphed over the brutality of war.

And on this day we celebrate the hope-filled Christmas message of light entering the darkness and the darkness not overcoming it.

Child of Christmas on this day,

Make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.

Amen

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