December 25, 1864. The son of American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had recently been wounded in the American Civil War, Longfellow’s wife had been killed in an accidental fire, and it seemed as though the war would never end. Upon hearing the bells ring that Christmas day, Longfellow was stricken by despair and grief. He began to write a poem, Christmas Bells, to articulate the awful darkness that seemed to cover the world. As he wrote, his grief and despair were overshadowed with the hope of Christmas ringing out in the chiming bells.

December 25, 2012. There are many reasons for despair in our troubled world. Senseless killings, unending wars, injustices in so many places, refugees looking for a safe place, famine, drought, brokenness... it is an unending list.

As you survey the darkness around you, it is our prayer that the Light of Christmas will bring a renewed sense of hope to your heart — that grief and despair will indeed be overshadowed with the hope of Christmas.

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 thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
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!"

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!"

Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, affirms this hope in Luke 1:

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come... to rescue us... to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days... to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

--Board of General Superintendents