Peace on earth: can it be?

My heart aches today--for the children who were killed, for those who survived and will have to live with trauma of the violence they witnessed, for the families whose children will not come home to them. My heart aches as I think of unopened presents sitting under Christmas trees, parents who are burying their children instead of celebrating the most joyous time of the year. I can only imagine what those people are experiencing. But I know my own emotions have been overpowering: sorrow, anger, confusion. That is not to say that I have not also felt the peace of the Spirit. But I cannot comprehend how anyone could take the life of an innocent child, much less 20 of them. I pray for those whose hearts have been broken today, whose arms are empty. I pray that they may find some measure of peace.

I can't help but think how difficult Christmas will be for the families who are now in mourning. And it won't just be this Christmas. It will probably be every Christmas for the rest of their lives. Even for those who let go of any bitterness, there will always be a feeling of sorrow as Christmas approaches.

For this reason, and because of a question posed, "Where is the 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men?'" I found myself thinking of Longfellow's story and the words he penned "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Longfellow said:

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."

Aren't we all feeling the same right now? Where is the hope for peace, when deranged men and women will take the lives of innocents? But the hymn continues:

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."

There is significance to celebrating Christmas at the darkest part of the year--only four days after the solstice. We celebrate the birth of the Light of the World, our only hope for peace. As I thought about this, I also thought about the comforting words of Elder Bowen in this past general conference: "Because I Live, Ye Shall Live Also." His talk brought tears to my eyes then and still does now as I think about his words:

"Sometimes people will ask, 'How long did it take you to get over it?' The truth is, you will never completely get over it until you are together once again with your departed loved ones. I will never have a fulness of joy until we are reunited in the morning of the First Resurrection.

'For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;

'And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.'"

They won't "get over it." Not in mortality. Those parents, those children who survived, so many people who were affected will not get over it completely in mortality. But the Savior's atonement can help ease their pain and provide some measure of joy. And ultimately, because of the atonement and the resurrection, their joy can be full again.

So many other thoughts have been running through my mind. The words of the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3, describing the perils of the last days. The words of Mormon writing to his son Moroni, reminding him of the innocence of children in Moroni 8: "But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world..." (verse 12). And yet in spite of Mormon's reminders, much of his epistle focuses on the wickedness of the people. Everywhere we turn, it seems there is evil and darkness.

But as I was listening to Christmas music on Pandora, Bing Crosby and David Bowie came up singing "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy." The words were all the more significant today:

Peace on earth: can it be?

Years from now, perhaps we'll see,

See the day of glory,

See the day when men of good will live in peace,

Live in peace again.

Peace on earth: can it be?

Every child must be made aware,

Every child must be made to care,

Care enough for his fellowman

To give all the love that he can.

I pray my wish will come true

For my child, and your child too.

We'll see the day of glory,

See the day when men of good will live in peace,

Live in peace again.

Peace on earth: can it be?

Can it be? This "day of glory" would be the second coming of Jesus Christ, who will restore peace to the earth. Unfortunately, until then we will not see peace. We can seek to establish peace in our own hearts and homes: Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. But true peace must begin with Jesus Christ.

Which brings me to another song that has been on my mind lately: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

O come, o come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

Isn't this still our plea? We think of it as a Christmas hymn only. But does not Israel still mourn in lonely exile? Does not the Judeo-Christian world still look for the coming of the promised Messiah in clouds of glory? We still trust in Him as our only hope for deliverance. We look to Him as our only hope for peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

This is not just a Christmas hymn. It is a plea to God to send His Son. Though He came to earth as a baby, ministered among the people of Jerusalem and Galilee, and suffered and died to atone for our sins that we might all live again, both physically and spiritually--though He has already done all this, we still wait for Him. We pray for the peace that only He can offer. He will return to the earth, this time in glory. He will come to ransom His people, Israel. He will remove the darkness and despair and replace it with light and hope and peace. We can experience this to a degree right now, but we cannot comprehend the light and the joy we will experience when we are reunited with those we love and with our Savior and Redeemer. "O come, o come, Emmanuel!"

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!