Christmas in time of war.

It’s Christmas again, and many are looking forward to celebrating this holiday. At the same time, there is war in Europe, and families are divided, men are at the front, while women and children are scattered around other countries in Europe, or celebrate alone without husbands, in a bombed city, without electricity.

Mothers have lost their sons, sisters and younger boys have lost their brothers both in Ukraine and Russia. Many may think it is enough Ukraine now. Now we want peace! Yes, absolutely, now we want peace in Europe’s core, Ukraine.

Peace is the best Christmas gift the world can give the country Ukraine right now. And, of course, that those who are sick, or alone elsewhere in the world, should not suffer. At Christmas, we allow ourselves to wish for a better world, a less poor world, better heads of state, who also want the best for their people, and their neighbors.

Words and action.

 And not least, those nice words transformed into action. Because words are not enough. Those of us who can afford it should send a monetary gift to an aid organization in Ukraine. Especially to the children there. Nor should we forget Palestine, where Jesus was born. The Palestinians there are suffering immensely.

What does actually the name of the town Bethlehem mean?

Bethlehem where we assume Jesus was born, means “beit” that is, shelter, plus “leham,” which means bread. Where there are houses, shelter and bread, there is most often life. And it’s the newborn life we celebrate at Christmas.

Hope in the darkness?

I have to admit that my poor hope, in a somewhat hopeless world right now, is that more people get both something to eat and shelter at Christmas. Both a place to stay and food on the table. The rest of us who already have those privileges, I wish Christmas peace, and moments of happiness in the darkest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

We are one mankind, one big family, – don’t forget that!

When we light a candle tomorrow, let’s send a thought to all our sisters and brothers on this little beautiful planet Earth, sailing at wild speed around the luminous star that we call the sun. . (6661 mph. or 11072.00 km/h)   

(front page photo from Kyiv, where people gather around a big Christmas tree, photo from ukraine.ua )