If this was to be my last blog post on this Earth, I’d echo these words.
Peace on Earth and goodwill to men! (Luke 2:14)
A couple of weeks ago, my family and I had the opportunity to attend the KLOVE Christmas tour featuring Casting Crowns and a number of other bands on their tour here in Illinois.
We’ve seen Casting Crowns in concert at least seven times. They are an encouraging and wonderful band that writes incredible and inspiring music.
After playing a few familiar songs from previous albums, Mark Hall the lead singer of the band introduced his next song, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. I recognized the song and have heard it sung many times before, but I didn’t know the history behind it and how it came to be. It’s a powerful and emotional song based on the 1863 poem “Christmas Bells” by American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Before playing the song, Mr. Hall shared the story behind the poem. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was inspired to write this poem in 1863 during the Civil War when his son went off to fight for the Union against his wishes. While this song is about Christmas time, there is an underlying tone of the war (The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail). It was not until 1872 that the poem is known to have been set to music by the English organist, John Baptiste Calkin.
In the poem, Mr. Longfellow hears explosions, cannons, and then off in the distance, church bells ringing. It was an ironic/odd sound amidst a terrible war as Henry heard these words: Peace on Earth, goodwill to men. Did he imagine it? Was it mocking him? Was the ringing encouraging him? Who knows?
Read the lyrics for yourself:
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!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
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!”
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.”
One blog writer says… Throughout the poem, Longfellow contrasts Christmas with the idea of the war in an honest and memorable way that helps take the reader into the mind of this troubled father and American during that terrible war.
Another writer put it… In the same way, listening to “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” helps us to understand the gravity of sin – the way it permeates our world.
My favorite is Verse 6:
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!”
With all the high-tech and medical miracles in this world, there is something to marvel and be in awe over. But, there are ironies to having it all too. The simple things in life are ignored. We’ve strayed from the true reason for the season. Commercialism and greed have taken over. Add to that, Covid, Omicron, tyrannical government, and divisiveness among people that are vaccinated and unvaccinated, and frankly, we’re in a mess. Chaos is everywhere.
I love Christmas. When I was a child it was all about the gifts. I realize in my later years, this season has become about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! A baby born into an oppressed world, a peasant girl as his mother, and a child birthed in a barn full of farm animals – a lowly King that would change everything.
This can be summed up this way… The speaker, wrapped up in their despair, imagines that those bells are speaking a kind of reply; they say that in the end, peace and goodwill will prevail over war and despair and that God continues to watch over the world.
Longfellow acknowledges that the world is broken, but he doesn’t leave it there. There’s more to the story, and that’s what makes the message of Jesus’ birth so joyful.
I hope people wake up and see through the darkness and evil. Be a light!
The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail.
And through it, all, do not turn away from the sounds of hope coming through the ringing of the church bells. Embrace the gift of Christmas!
And finally, click here for the incredible and moving video of Casting Crowns singing the song.
Until next time…
Be well. Be safe. Be happy!
References:
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/christmas-bells-by-henry-wadsworth-longfellow
https://poemanalysis.com/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/christmas-bells/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_the_Bells_on_Christmas_Day
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/finding-praise-through-pain-in-i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day.html
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/finding-praise-through-pain-in-i-heard-the-bells-on-christmas-day.html
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:14&version=NIV
https://www.castingcrowns.com/
https://www.klove.com/