The Orient visited us not only "to enlighten them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death," but also "to direct our feet into the way
of peace" (St. Luke I. 79). And what is the way of peace but the way of
_faith_, which He is coming to light up? Nothing can bring peace to this
dark and sin-stricken world but faith. The Sun of Justice is rising with
health in His Wings and that health is faith. It is the remedy for all
ills. Men try every other remedy but they leave out God and His faith
and the result is that the world remains in chaos. The Light has risen,
the Orient has visited us, but men shut their eyes to the light and
prefer the darkness, because their deeds are evil.
The _Way of Peace_ is made by the Prince of Peace, it is the Highway to
the Heaven of Peace. Am I on it? Yes, for I am one of "the household of
faith" and can never thank Him sufficiently for having directed my feet
into the City of Peace. But this is not all. Many people, even those of
the "household of faith" have very little real peace in their lives.
They spend their time in complaints, regrets, criticisms, anxieties. Is
this what the King of Peace intends? Oh no! He is ever there waiting to
direct their feet towards the "green pastures" and "the still waters,"
but the Way of Peace is the way of faith, of trust and confidence. Until
I can really trust Him, the peaceful pastures can never be mine, I can
never lie down in them and rest. I am His sheep, but I do not wholly
trust my Shepherd. If I did, I should believe that whatever He chose and
arranged for me was the best; I could not _complain_ of what He had
planned for me, however hard it might be. I could not criticize His
arrangements and want to make my own. May my trust be so absolute this
Christmas that it is apparent to everyone that I possess the peace which
the Babe of Bethlehem comes to bring. O Orient come once more and
direct my feet into the way of peace.
_Colloquy_ with the Orient.
_Resolution._ "Although He should kill me, I will trust in Him." (Job.
XIII. 15).
_Spiritual Bouquet._ O Oriens!