I Heard the Bells

Where do we turn when all hope seems lost? What joy and peace are to be found in the midst of great suffering and tragedy? Are not the cheery tunes of Christmas a mockery of the heart’s despair? These are questions many ask as Christmas approaches. While it is a fun and joyous season for some, it is a time of pain and grief for others, none more so than Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who penned this poem-turned-hymn in the midst of despair and grief.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace of earth, good will to men.

Life continues to go on, no matter the tragedies we face. Time does not stand still and wait for us to catch up. Longfellow wrote this during the Civil War as the father of 6, one of whom died as an infant, having been widowed two years before. His wife’s dress caught fire, and though he tried to save her, was burned too badly. He sustained severe burns on his face and wore a beard from then on to hide the scars, though he feared he would be put away as insane because of the depth of his grief.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th'unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

God is still calling, as the angels did two thousand years ago, proclaiming peace and good will to men. He is still beckoning for us to come to Him, to have peace with Him. He wants to have a good relationship with us, to be at peace with us, and bless our lives. That call has never ceased.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

When Longfellow wrote this poem, on Christmas day of 1863, his eldest son was lying in a hospital, severely wounded in battle, having missed permanent paralysis by a mere inch. The irony is that his son was injured fighting in a war where the country he loved was fighting itself; brother against brother, father against son. It was the epitome of hate. It is no wonder that he felt despair upon hearing the bells that morning, the cheerful sound which mocked the reality of what was going on.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Yet they did not call in vain. In the midst of his despair, he remembered God’s goodness and faithfulness. He remembered that evil would not triumph in the end, good would prevail. When life is done, God has the victory and the final say. That truth can bring hope to the most burdened heart. God does want peace with us. He does want to bless us, in spite of the idiotic, hateful things we do. There is redemption still to be found.

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Right will prevail. Evil will come to an end. Though we go through dark days, eventually the sun will come out and shine all the brighter for what we have gone through. In the midst of pain and suffering, we can hear the bells and remember the hope they bring; that God has the victory!