The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria. – 2 Chronicles 18:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 17, 2016): 2 Chronicles 28

An artist's impression from The Illustrated London News of 9 January 1915: "British and German Soldiers Arm-in-Arm Exchanging Headgear: A Christmas Truce between Opposing Trenches"

It was a beautiful incident. Christmas Day, 1914 along the Western Front of the conflict that became known as The War to End All Wars, the fighting stopped. No one wanted to fight, so they didn’t. On Christmas Eve, the shooting slowed. It was trench warfare, and the trenches were close enough that the soldiers could hear the conversation and the laughter and the singing of carols in the opposing trenches, as well as the crying and groaning of the sick. So as Christmas morning came, the shooting stopped. Cautious soldiers crawled out of their trenches and when no one shot at them, more came. German, French and British troops met and exchanged souvenirs in the no-man’s-land between the trenches. There are even reports that makeshift soccer games broke out. For one day, enemies laid aside their weapons aside and simply welcomed each other as human beings.

On Christmas Day 1915, there were sporadic truces, but nothing like what had happened a year earlier, partially because of harshly worded commands that had come down to the front lines from the military headquarters on both sides of the war. By the time Christmas Day 1916 rolled around, there had been too much fighting and death for anyone to consider laying down their weapons, even for just twenty-four hours of peace. But in 1914, the unthinkable had really happened.

This episode during the reign of Ahaz has also been dubbed “The Beautiful Incident.” Many scholars just want the words to stand themselves; there is no explanation for what happened. The intention of the army of Israel was to take the prisoners from Judah hostage and make them slaves. But the words of the Prophet Oded stopped the soldiers. Instead, on this day they extended mercy to their enemies. They bound up the wounds; they sat the sick on donkeys, and they dressed the naked. They saw in their enemies their brothers. And they returned them home, taking them even as far as Jericho in the southern portion of Judah. It was an unprecedented act of mercy. The peace did not last during the reign of Ahaz, just as it did not last in 1914, but for a moment, enemies became brothers.

Christmas seems to be a time when we celebrate peace. My dream, as naïve as it might be, is that this year, amidst incendiary remarks from world leaders and the unprecedented xenophobia (fear of the other) that seems to be making its impact all over our world, maybe we can find our own Christmas Truce. Maybe we can extend our arms across cultural divides and recognize our brothers and sisters. And maybe we can make it last longer than just Christmas Day or Christmas Season of 2016. Perhaps peace can reign into 2017, and make a real difference in our world.

   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 16