Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem “Christmas Bells” on December 25, 1863. The nation was in the midst of our brutal Civil War and Longfellow’s son had recently suffered wounds as a soldier in the Battle of New Hope Church in Virginia. This news only added to the sadness that already gripped Longfellow’s heart.
Longfellow’s wife had died in 1861 from burns she received when some hot sealing wax fell onto her dress and started a fire. Longfellow, himself, was burned in an attempt to extinguish the flames and was unable to attend her funeral. That Christmas he wrote, “How inexpressibly sad are all holidays.”
In 1862, he wrote, “I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace.” On December 25, he wrote in his journal, “A merry Christmas say the children, but that is no more for me.” Longfellow found himself listening to the church bells toll the carols on Christmas Day in 1863.
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.
At first, Longfellow could not reconcile his own personal grief and the darkness of an ongoing war with the message of the angels in Luke 2.
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.”
The recent debate over the full body scanners and body searches at airports reminds us that our world still mocks the song. Our soldiers are still in harm’s way and we live with the constant threat of terrorist strikes. Even more, our own personal grief can overwhelm us during the holiday season.
But Longfellow’s poem does not end in despair. The bells were insistent upon continuing the song of hope.
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.”
In the midst of a culture that craves constant change, the Christmas story never gets old. Every year we turn to this story of hope, recognizing that God has neither forgotten us nor left us in despair. “For he himself is our peace…” Paul says about Christ.
On behalf of Lottie, Kelcie, Sean, and Nikolai, I want to extend from our family to yours our wish that you will be filled with the hope, love, peace, and joy of Jesus Christ during this Christmas season. Even more, I pray that through all of our churches the people of Parker County will hear the message that the angels delivered to the shepherds long ago, and will want to seek out the King of Kings.
