Peacekeepers

Each Sunday in Advent, a candle on the advent wreath is lit. This lighting can be accompanied by readings and/or singing. One of the popular tunes for singing is "A Candle is Burning", word by Sandra Dean and sung to the tune of "Away in a Manger". Here is the verse for Advent 2.

A candle is burning, a candle of PEACE,

A candle to signal that conflict must cease

For Jesus is coming to show us the way

A message of peace humbly laid in the hay.

WOW!!! Do we hear what this verse is saying to us? Do we really hear that word PEACE? Along with passages written by the gospel writers, Dean, also seems to feel that the message of Christmas, the message Jesus died to bring to us, is that conflict must cease.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.' (Matthew 5:9)

We have a proud history of peace-keeping in Canada. Lester B. Pearson, the 14th prime minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968 , was award the Nobel Peace prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis.

We are proud of our reputation as peace-keepers, but that is in the past. "Twenty years ago, the country ranked as world leader in troop contributions. Today, it is 65th among the 193 UN member states, an all-time low when UN operations are at an all-time high.There are only 34 Canadian military personnel participating in peacekeeping missions worldwide, including seven in Haiti, eight in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one in Cyprus. There were once 3,300 in the field." Michelle Shepard, National Security Reporter, The Toronto Star, October 31, 2014

Today, quoting from the same article in The Star 'How Canada has abandoned its role as peacekeepers', we can commit to combat ISIS in a US-led coalition, 'six CF-18 Hornet fighters, an aerial refueller, two aerial surveillance aircraft, a 69-member elite team and up to 600 Canadian forces members.' Where are the peacekeepers now?

The message of Christmas as told by the angels in the Christmas story, was that the baby born in the manger came to bring peace and goodwill to all. We were once known as peacekeepers. Can we be again? It is up to each and every one of us to make sure our elected federal representatives know how important it is for Canada to reclaim this once-proud role of peacekeeping; to work for peace through justice.

What is one thing you can do this Advent season to help reclaim Canada's once proud role as Peacekeepers?

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