Dear Unity Friends,

The theme for the Second Sunday of Advent is Peace. The term peace is trendy at Christmas time, and it often remains just that, part of a cute phrase to put on our holiday cards: "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All." But it is up to you and me to make the words, "Peace on Earth" mean something. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matt. 5:9)

An unknown writer captures the very essence of peace, for me, in the following story:

Once there was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint a picture of peace. Many artists tried, but the king found only two pictures he liked, and he had to choose between them.

The first was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful, towering mountains that were around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. It appeared very serene.

The other picture had mountains too, but they were rugged and bare. Above them was an angry sky, and down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This didn't appear peaceful at all.

But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall, a tiny bush growing through a piece of broken rock. In the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest in perfect peace.

The king chose the second picture. Why? "Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, no turmoil. Peace means to be in the midst of all these things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

So this holiday season let us make the term, "Peace on Earth" mean something. We must be the peacemakers by letting there be peace on earth and by letting it begin within each one of us.

"May the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." (Num.6:26).

Rev. Jan Seward