have of late, had a little more time to think and reflect upon a variety of things. This is because I have taken up walking on a regular basis, on the advice of my doctor. So every day, except one, quite early in the morning, before going up to the Cathedral for the morning office (Morning Prayer) and Mass, I walk with ?Jewels?, our Rottweiler.

It is largely a rather peaceful and relatively quiet 30-45 minutes. While walking I am able to enjoy, admire and thank God for the beauty of his creation. Among the gifts of the early morning, the waning moon, the dawning light and the colour reflected on the clouds as the sun rises in the East. All of which is a constant reminder to me of how fortunate we all are to live in this beautiful place we call home, Bermuda.

Recently the Christmas lights were put up on the streets of Hamilton. Outside the XL building, where Pitts Bay Road meets Front Street, on a garland strung across the street can be found the words: ?Peace on Earth.? This makes me think of those places, far too many in number, where beauty is hard to find and where peace and tranquillity does not reign. Iraq, Israel, Afghanistan and the Darfur region of the Sudan come to mind. The TV news and the newspapers tell of what is happening in those places. We have become aware of the senseless cost of war and the terrible distress that accompanies it, through the tragic loss of life and the destruction of property.

Living as we do in a society that knows nothing of such things, thankfully, does not mean we are immune from the pain that others know all too well. We share it, albeit at a distance. When will there be peace in God?s world, and how can we help it to become a reality?

We oftentimes feel a great sense of helplessness in the face of the awful consequences of war. We pray about it, yes, but what more can we do? We can ensure that all our relationships never descend into the pit of bitterness and hatred. For such feelings almost inevitably lead to violence. In the words of a familiar religious song: ?Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.? That is the way to bring peace in our homes, in the community, in our schools, the places where we work, and peace to the world. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, we have to become instruments of peace. This must be an intentional act on our part at all times. We have to think about what we say, what we do and how we act in our daily lives, so as to be peacemakers as Our Lord Jesus would have us be.

At Christmas we celebrate with joy the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. His birth, indeed His ministry, death and resurrection were motivated by a deep love for all of humanity. This Christmas as we look at and worship the little Lord Jesus, born of Mary, may we determine to be people of peace, reconciliation and healing.

I wish you all a very Happy and joyful Christmas.