Sunday 6th December
The theme for the second week in Advent is peace. My word, do we all need a bit more of it. We tend to think of making peace as something that happens between nations and factions. However, the fully-lived life needs us to make peace with ourselves, our family and friends and our communities. Covid has made many if us feel very turbulent and down. But as we head towards the light, we begin to feel a bit more settled about the future.
This is one of the poems in my advent book, Front-line Advent, and I think it sums up the yearning for peace that we all feel. It is by the exceptional poet Jonathan Steffen. Advent is the season to begin making good, to run down the bragging flags, as the poet says. Advent points towards the great season of Christmas which is the great season of peace.
Run down your bragging flags, they stain the sky. And all their tattered flapping hurts the ears. I know where all your gun emplacements lie. I’ve known your every move for years and years. Lay down your arms, your battered toys of war. Each well-loved weapon is an open grave. You think you know what you were fighting for: You think you were all true and loyal and brave. We thought the same. We fought for what was fair And fine and pure and kind and strong and sweet. We shot those fine ideals to thin air. We left their bodies groaning at our feet. All’s fair in love and war. Each to the other, We’re what we need to be, my new-found brother.
Advent 2, Jonathan Steffen
Front-line Advent, Steve Morris and Barry Hingston, published by Authentic Media. https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/fr...
