By Moa Jamir
Peace is a universal theme of Christmas. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” wrote Prophet Isaiah (9:6 KJV) foretelling the birth of Jesus Christ.
Among many others, lexicographers define ‘Peace’ both in terms of physical and meta-physical realm, with personal and collective connotations, perpetually interchangeable and dependent on individual as well as collective actions.
For instance, the Oxford English Dictionary defined ‘Peace’ as - Freedom from civil unrest or disorder; public order and security; public order of a state as provided for by law; freedom from quarrels or dissension between individuals (or, especially in early use, between an individual and God); a state of friendliness; amity, concord; Freedom from anxiety, disturbance (emotional, mental, or spiritual), or inner conflict; calm, tranquility; with of and the name of the organ, faculty, etc., in which such peace is considered to reside, now esp. in peace of mind; and freedom from external disturbance, interference, or perturbation, especially as a condition of an individual.
Elsewhere, there is the annual Nobel Peace Prize, based on three main three criteria - reduction of standing armies, contributing to peace congresses and fraternity between nations. In practice these include arms reduction, international cooperation, and organisations contributing to peace while a fraternity criterion covers, among others, human rights contributions to peace, as per the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
In the context of personal and collective sphere, the universally sought ‘peace on earth’ – when defined in terms of ‘a state of friendliness’ and ‘Freedom from anxiety, disturbance (emotional, mental, or spiritual), or inner conflict,’ appeared to be becoming more elusive; a constant struggle.
The earth itself seems to be in a ‘state of disturbance’ with a prolonging pandemic coupled with several phenomenons associated with climate change, while geo-politically, the ‘state of friendliness’ among nations-states, genuine or otherwise, are constantly, being tested.
In India, the absence of ‘tranquility’ is often perceptible in the social-cultural, political and religious realms, often putting in question the ‘public order of a state as provided for by law’ and the Constitution.
In the context of Nagas, peace is often associated chiefly with ‘yearning’ – the search for an elusive peace, with the years of political conflicts in the backdrop. The quest for ‘lasting peace’ unfulfilled, thus far, and often temporary ‘tranquility’ often shattered by heartbreaking tragedies such as the one in Oting.
The cry for peace, thus, was never felt more needed and the message from the Prince of Peace – of giving and receiving love, goodwill and empathy, more poignant than ever. However, at its core, engendering peace and perpetuating it is a two-way process.
“Let there be peace on earth. And let it begin with me…” entreated the popular song by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller, written in 1955 and often performed during the Christmas season. Let us collectively embrace and pray for peace this Christmas and let it begin with you and me.
Here’s to a very Purposeful and Peaceful Christmas.
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