Pax Romana was the propaganda slogan for the Roman Empire. It’s been found inscribed on coins and other artifacts in the Roman world. The Latin translates “Peace of Rome.” By the first century the Roman Empire had experienced an enormous era of peace. For about 100 years no major wars were fought, and in its place some of the greatest advancements were made including a highway system linking major cities together. Yes, Rome experienced significant peace and they jumped on the marketing campaign to feed it to its citizens so that they would buy into its rule.
Yet the kind of peace that the Empire experienced was derived from brute force. They flexed their muscles and forced their will on their citizens. They controlled people and territories with an iron fist, and any who challenged their rule or presence was met with decisive action. Just ask the Jews. Their lands were occupied and patrolled by the Romans. And while Rome made concessions to keep the peace, the situation was always volatile. By A.D. 70 the resistance in Judea reached a boiling point and Rome came in, marching on Jerusalem, razing Herod’s temple to the ground. Sure, Roman fueled the Pax Roman messaging system, but ultimately it was accomplished and maintained by nothing other than peace.
Luke tells us that on a hillside outside of Bethlehem, shepherds were tending to their flocks. As they were passing their time, angels appeared in the sky proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill toward men” (Lk. 2:14). They then told the shepherds to go to Bethlehem where they would find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger. That baby is the long-awaited Christ, the Lord.
When the angels declared, “Peace on Earth,” they confronted and challenged the Roman propaganda head on. Peace on earth would not be attained through military might or force or political ploys, but through the innocent and the vulnerability of a baby.
We spend our lifetime seeking peace. All the while, something within us remains restless. No matter how much we try to settle the storms within, we cannot find peace. Oh, we try. We try to find peace. Often, that search is in vain.
We cannot find peace,
by feeding our addictions.
We cannot find peace,
by wrapping gifts and placing them under a tree.
We cannot find peace,
by holding onto grudges.
We cannot find peace,
by ordering and opening our packages from Amazon.
We cannot find peace,
by threatening war.
We cannot find peace,
by electing officials who break their promises.
We cannot find peace,
by trying to win arguments on social media.
We cannot find peace,
through our “conceal and carry” permit.
Oh how we desperately seek peace. And in our search, we walk away empty and longing for something we cannot find. But we are not alone in our search.
The Charlie Brown Christmas Special hit the airways in 1965. Charles Schultz seemed to have two purposes in mind when he produced the show. First, he wanted to address the amount of commercialism surrounding Christmas. All the lights. All the sales. All the competitions for the best decorations. All of which seemed to miss the point of Christmas. If commercialism was driving Christmas in the sixties, one wonders what Schultz would say about Christmas today. Secondly, Schultz pushed to tell the birth story of Jesus as the true meaning of Christmas. When his fellow artists questioned his move, Schultz (and I’m paraphrasing his reply) said, “If not us, who? If not now, when?” When the suits got involved to change the story, Schultz pushed back. Knowing his popularity, he was willing to levy his following with his fans for the good of the story. His clout carried the day, and Charlie Brown Christmas, nearly sixty years later, is a classic staple today.
We know the story. Charlie Brown is struggling with commercialism surrounding Christmas. Even Snoopy has sold out. Having been asked to direct the Christmas pageant and running up against agendas and opinions and resistance at every step. It all comes to a head when Charlie Brown brings the frail little tree to the stage. Not knowing what to do now, Charlie Brown seeks clarification as to the true meaning of Christmas.
Enter Linus. Linus is the theologian/philosopher among the Peanuts Gang. When he speaks, his clarity of voice usually cuts through most discussions. Usually. Linus has his insecurities, just as much as Charlie Brown. The difference between Linus and Charlie Brown is that Linus sooths his anxiety with his blanket. He carries that blanket everywhere he goes, and the blanket has a life of its own as well. The blanket has a defining role in the TV show.
With Charlie Brown exasperated, he cries for someone to tell him the true meaning of Christmas. Linus steps forward. With the spotlight on him, he begins to recite Luke 2, the passage where the angels speak to the shepherds. As he begins to speak, a subtle but significant moment takes place as Linus drops his blue blanket.
Since Charlie Brown is a cartoon, the artists make choices. Sometimes an object may disappear for no apparent reason, especially when each frame is hand drawn. Not so in this case as Linus will pick up his blanket immediately after his soliloquy. So, as soon as Linus begins reciting Luke 2 the blanket falls to the ground because Linus finds the peace to abandon his blanket through the manger, through the baby Christ. All the anxieties disappear at the manger. Even Charlie Brown finds the peace to walk away from the show with the frail Christmas tree.
The Roman Empire used Pax Romana to convince their people that peace comes through military might or political maneuvering. Neither provides peace. Both are manipulative propaganda still in play today. True peace begins when we approach the vulnerable and defenseless baby at the manger.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)