As I sit here writing my Christmas blog, I am drawn to the words of the great Dr. Maya Angelou: “It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.” In her stunning Christmas poem (see below,) Dr. Angelou speaks of Christmas as being a time when the jagged, sharp points of criticism, judgement and hate are softened – when our world is “encouraged to come away from rancor.”

Although I attend church with my family, my belief (my religion,) isn’t confined to one particular church or religion. I like to learn and worship at the alter of many different religions and philosophies because I think they all have something  very powerful to offer. I gather the strands that speak to me, and weave my own, deeply personal understanding of spirit, and what it means to be fully alive. Everyday is different, and  my understanding evolves as I walk my path – often surprising me. The most important thing for me is that I ALWAYS remain open.

If I ever become closed-minded to ANYTHING, I shut out the light, grace and power that wants to find its way into my life. So each day I ask that I can be open enough to see, hear and feel the whisper of the spirit – this is the only way that I can hear guidance and truth.

So, what is the “hate” that Maya Angelou speaks of in her poem? When I think of anyone who if filled with deep hate and hostility, it almost always stems from the belief that “I am right, and you are wrong.”  Our culture feeds off this kind of hate. There is an entire television network devoted to hate and fear-mongering, which encourages Americans to pick a side and to start hating with as much force as they can. When will those people understand that hating is futile? It does nothing other than cause temporary pain, and harm the hater.

As this beautiful time of year rolls around, despite our differences in Spiritual beliefs, I hope it can be a time when we can collectively experience Peace, if only for a brief slice of time. But, as always, we have to start in our own backyard. As a great spiritual teacher once told me: “What you see out there in the world is also in you. Seek to heal the hate in you first.” Yes, he’s right, if I look hard enough I always find a little bit of hate (it’s really fear) lurking. That little mean voice muttering, “I am right, and you are wrong.” I think this kind of belief so often comes from something harmful that I think someone has done/is doing. But in order to “halt hate time,” I need to forgive, right?

Forgiveness means “giving up”. It means giving up my opinion of you (that what you did was wrong.) This is the hardest thing that we are ever called to do. But, to give up the “I am right, and you are/were wrong,” is imperative if we are to experience true peace of mind. Yep – forgiveness=peace.

This brings me to the end of my little Christmas riff. My prayer for you all this week, is that you may experience a few moments of deep inner peace where the love of the divine is able to shine through and around you.

Happy Christmas!

“Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
By Dr. Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.
Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
Implore you, to stay a while with us.
So we may learn by your shimmering light
How to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.

On this platform of peace, we can create a language
To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.

At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ
Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices
To celebrate the promise of Peace.

We, Angels and Mortal’s, Believers and Non-Believers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation.

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.”