The Night Before Christmas

My friend and fellow "blogger" , Greg Asimakoupoulos, writes the following:
Check out Greg's other submissions at the following site:
http://partialobserver.com/ArticleDisplay.cfm?ArticleID=1327

Contemplating Christ's Nativity and Global Conflict
by Greg Asimakoupoulos
December 24, 2004

On this night before Christmas
those car bombs still blast.
The peace the Prince promised
is not coming fast.

There’s bloodshed in Baghdad.
There’s hate in Ukraine.
The conflicts in Israel
seem never to wane.

In bleak North Korea
a madman’s in charge,
while deep within Africa
tensions loom large.

And in our own nation
the deficit’s deep.
A blanket of terror
keeps millions from sleep.

The jobless and homeless
can’t sing Silent Night.
They’re hopeless and joyless.
Their prospects aren’t bright.

We churn for our children,
afraid what’s in store.
With gangs, drugs and violence,
they have their own war.

Emmanuel’s birthday
is shrouded by fear.
It seems we’ve forgotten
that He is still near.

For though it appears
that at times there’s no God
and all of this holiday
hoopla’s a fraud

the truth of this season
can’t just be dismissed.
The message of Christmas
says we’re on God’s list.

He feels what we’re feeling.
He grieves when we grieve.
He won’t leave us lonely
on this Christmas Eve.

The best gift He offers
is peace in our hearts.
And when we unwrap that
the world peace thing starts.