By Frank F Islam & Ed Crego, December 12, 2024 (Image credits: Tom de Boor, Adobe, Dreamstime, DALL-E 3, et al)

Peace on earth has been a common request since the beginning of time. Luke, the apostle, said in Bible verse 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poet, in 1863 wrote:

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!

U-2, the rock band, in 2001 sang:

Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I’m sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of the pain
Sick of hearing
Again and again
That there’s gonna be
Peace on Earth

U-2’s song highlights that, in spite of continuing requests through the centuries, peace on earth has been an illusory concept. In 2024, due to the wars and armed conflicts between and within nations, peace on earth remains illusory — but more necessary than ever.

The most notable wars, because of their extensive press coverage and devastating destruction, are the war between Russia and Ukraine and the wars between Israel and Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon (with a fragile 60-day ceasefire currently in place). Those high-profile wars are not the only combat zones today.

The Geneva Academy is currently monitoring more than 110 armed conflicts around the world. Those armed conflicts break out as follows:

• Middle East and Northern Africa — 45.
• Africa — 35.
• Asia — 21.
• Europe — 7.
• Latin America — 6.

In addition to those wars and armed conflicts between rival armed forces within nation-states, there is gang violence, which has been tremendously disruptive within countries such as Haiti, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Through the years, gang violence has become increasingly problematic in the United States as well. The FBI reports that “Some 33,000 violent street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs are criminally active in the U.S. today.” Some of these are transnational gangs such as MS-13 and 18th Street, which have a presence in almost every state.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “In 2023, the rate of violent victimization in the United States was 22.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older, which was similar to the 2022 rate… [and] much lower than in 1993 when the rate was 79.8 per 1,000.”

By contrast, CNN reports that as of November 11, there had been at least 76 school (college and K-12) shootings in the U.S. This is similar to shootings in 2023 and 2021, but much higher than in the period from 2008 through 2020, which had an annual low of 13 and a high of 54 shootings.

It’s not just the wars, armed conflicts, and crimes that prevent peace on earth. It’s also the fact that people within nations have lost the trust in one another, their governments, and their institutions, trust that’s required to work together in order to find and build common ground.

This condition is true in countries around the world in 2024. It’s definitely the case in the United States, where the already polarized divide between us widened and deepened during this combative and contentious presidential election cycle.

All of these factors collided this year to cause us to write the following holiday prayer for peace on earth:

The earth is a fragile crucible held together by what we think and do
For decades, the United State has played a central role in promoting peace on earth around the world and within its own boundaries,
This year, the United States is at a pivot point about whether it will continue to play that role both internationally and domestically.

Recognizing this, we pray that:
– Internationally: the U.S stays a leader in advancing global peace and security; maintains strong relations with its key allies and partners in peace efforts; and reaches out to assist those in poor and developing countries to help meet the survival and growth needs.
– Domestically: those in power use it wisely and prudently to bring us together rather than tearing us apart; improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal government, but do not destroy the lives and careers of dedicated civil servants; deport those illegal immigrants who are a threat to this nation, and not those who are helping our businesses and economy grow; and do what is essential and required to remove the economic inequalities, and develop a system that is fairer and better for those in the working and middle class.

Most importantly, we pray that women and men of good will see their fellow citizens regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation, political persuasion, or personal beliefs as neighbors and people of the American community — a community known for its openness, kindness, and capacity to come together to work with one another in building a collaborative and united future.

In closing, we know that this prayer is not sufficient by itself to bring about positive change. Nor will our prayer be answered from above. It must be answered by we, the people — concerned and committed citizens here on earth who want to move the trajectory of our American democracy forward toward the “more perfect union” envisioned by our country’s founders.

We know these are trying, troubling and divisive times. Times in which positive thoughts and hope are difficult to come by.

Nonetheless, we are inspired by the fact that Longfellow’s poem, Christmas Bells, was written in 1863, during the Civil War. Even though the poem begins positively, and has been converted into a popular Christmas carol, the poem itself ends on a somber note, stating:

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!

Longfellow’s poem was written when the outcome of our Civil War was uncertain — as was the future of our country. The United States was at a pivot point then. No one could have envisioned the progress it would make and the journey it would take, in the decades and centuries to follow, to become the great nation the U.S. is today.

Our United States is at a pivot point again. We are engaged in an uncivil war with each other, with the outcome yet to be determined. We believe that with the passion and persistence of those who will collaborate in order to move our democracy forward that outcome will be a positive one for the U.S and the world.

So, in this holiday season, we borrow from the song written by John Lennon, to say give peace a chance. That’s not all we are saying, however. We are also saying let’s unite and invest ourselves in endeavors to make Peace on Earth a reality for this country and the world in which we live.

Happy holidays! Peace on earth!