reaking the darkness of night, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone around them. His message was "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord" (Lk.2:10-11). Two thousand years later, while again so much frightening darkness surrounds today's world, the same message still resounds in our ears. It is difficult not to be afraid. War, violence and injustice are rampant in our darkness. Yet, in faith we believe the reassurance given to the shepherds:"a Savior has been born to us, He is Christ the Lord", and we prayerfully sing, "Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth".

EACE! It is one of the most beautiful words that man can speak in any language and at any time. It is very often a word of greeting and blessing and it is always the deepest desire of every heart. It has a profound personal meaning for each individual within oneself, but at the same time it touches at its very roots the whole network o f relationships between persons, within families and among communities and countries. In the ultimate analysis, these two aspects - individual and communal - are profoundly interconnected, since only people who are truly at peace with themselves can be instruments for creating and maintaining peace in their families, in their communities, in their countries and in the world. In the words of the Lord Jesus, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God".

here are several complementary ways i n reaching an answer to the question: "What is peace?" On the one hand, at the very minimal level, peace is the absence of war, the ceasing of conflict and violence. For millions of people in several parts of the world and even very near to us, this aspect of peace is certainly their most anguished desire. As a teenager I lived in nothern Italy during World War II and I remember the terrifying experience of the air raids, the thunder and the tremor caused by the falling bombs, the fear that the next one would hit my family in our shelter, the breathless hope that each explosion would be the last one and the air raid cease. But the deadly stillness that followed the raids was not the peace we prayed for. It was more like the eerie silence of a graveyard, and unfortunately there were always more bombs and more airplanes for the next night's raid.

ne first logical reaction should then be: let's eliminate all the bombs, all the weapons. The issue of disarmament is a crucial one and for decades discussions and negotiations have taken place at the United Nations, aiming at banning and/or reducing the production of specific types of weapons, at curbing the spread of evermore sophisticated instruments of death and destruction. But that process has been and is frustratingly slow, while at the same time the production and sale of armaments has become the largest business worldwide (next to the drug traffic: notice how both are essentially industries of death!) Of course each country claims the right to defend its sovereignity and territorial integrity and thus the race is on to achieve parity o r superiority vis-a-vis a potential enemy. It is a never-ending spiral that absorbs incredible amounts of resources that should otherwise b e used for the basic needs and development of society. The balance of terror is not a valid nor lasting solution: as an example, it was achieved for some decades between the United States and the then Soviet Union, when the two powers managed to scare each other into non- aggression, but the long range human cost of such policy has been catastrophic. It is however imperative that at the international level the issue of disarmament, beginning with serious controls of the elimination of weapons and on their production and sale, be faced with realism and wisdom, before it is too late.

he elimination and/or the reduction of weapons in itself are not sufficient, however, to establish true peace. A ceasefire can be imposed, but peace cannot. Peace is a process that must be built up continuously, patiently and generously. It is, in the definition of an ancient philosopher, the "tranquillitas ordinis", the ultimate serenity of everything appropriately ordered. How wise and profound is the perception of the Asian cultures that sees "harmony" as the best description, or even the synonym, of "peace". Harmony conveys and implies the correct arrangement of different elements, such as sounds and colors, into an integrated beauty, into a work of art. The idea of harmony is fascinating: the genius of an artist can arrange in the proper order different elements of nature and create a masterpiece. When it comes to engage in reaching harmony in the composition of the different interests of peoples or of countries, their rights and their duties, the problem assumes staggering dimensions.

he key to success - however difficult the process will inevitably be - is the proper ordering of the elements that must be brought together in harmony. There must be some basic values fundamentally shared by the parties in conflict and the first of them must always be the recognition and protection of the inherent, inviolable and equal dignity and rights of each human being, which no other individual nor state nor ideology can be allowed to deny or destroy. Human reason alone can discover in this truth the only way for mankind to move beyond the ruthless rule of the jungle. For all sincere believers, this truth is confirmed and re-inforced by the tenets of their faith. Christians believe that God has shared His supreme dignity with the human beings (every man, woman and child without any disctinction), creating them in His own image and likeness, and that, in His infinite forgiving mercy, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has called all mankind to be brothers and sisters in His own one family, sharing with them His life and His eternal happiness. Hence, it is blasphemy to use the name of God or religion in attempting to encourage or to justify violence, aggression, discrimination and oppression on other human beings.

rue peace, between persons or countries, can only be built on justice. Hence, the resolution of any conflict - within one's family or between nations - must aim at removing all forms of injustice. There is today a very urgent need to educate people and especially the young generation on this fundamental truth: there will not be true peace as long as individuals as well as groups or nations think - or what is even worse, are taught to think - that economic strength, their ideology, etc., entitle them to trample on the dignity of weaker human beings, to oppress and exploit them by infringing on their fundamental rights. That is the sure formula for conflict, not certainly peace.

hile serving at the United Nations in New York, I remember admiring at Headquarters a large colorful, mosiac portraying a dove, the bird symbol of peace. The artwork is remarkable in itself for its beauty and harmony. But what struck me is its composition:it is a result of a genial assembly of thousands of little tassels of different shapes and colors assembled in harmony. The artist was able to choose and arrange, certainly among countless others, the tassels that best fit. If we speak of globalization - as we certainly must, when it comes to global peace - we must look critically and honestly to the many different systems of social order that have been and are being proposed or implemented at various times. Many of them reflect the positive elements contributed to the common good by the wisdom of century old customs, cultures and religious traditions. They are the valuable tassels that can and must be arranged in our great mosiac of peace. Other social systems however cannot fit in that mosiac. Such would be the ones imposed and maintained by force, arrogance, by fear, by threats, by blackmail, by fanaticism, by exploiting the weak, by perpetuating situations of poverty and ignorance, While facing the very dark clouds that today threaten the world horizon we must seriously ask oursleves: "Will we be wise enough, courageous enough to pull all our efforts in choosing and in assembling the right tassels to produce a masterpiece of beauty and harmony that can be truly called PEACE for our generation and for the future?" This is certainly my prayer this Christmas season.Let's begin by striving to be at peace with God, woth oneself, with family and friends,in order to be called sons of God as true peacemakers among communities and nations. Then my sincere wish to all: A Blessed Christmas and "PEACE BE WITH YOU" in the New Year!!!

Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea
Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait