The Gift of Peace

Peace on earth. This is one of the key promises that accompanies Christmas. Look around though, not much peace. Wars abound around the globe, and in our own city conflict and violence is a problem. Is the promise of peace just wishful thinking, or is there something else here? For the Jewish people the concept of peace was so much more than just the absence of conflict. Peace or Shalom was the promise of wholeness, of beauty in life, of fullness. It is shalom in our relationships with ourselves, with each other, with the world around us. But, this can only be restored if we first have peace with God.