The Christmas Truce of 1914

On Christmas Eve in 1914, roughly five months after the start of World War I, a series of spontaneous ceasefires arose along the trenches. Soldiers who only hours before had been labeled “enemies” sought one another out as friends and equals—sharing gifts, playing soccer (football), singing songs, and burying their dead. This moment, depicted in the 2005 film Joyeux Noël, tells a noble story about human nature that should give us pause whenever we remember it: no matter the depth of dehumanization and propaganda used to turn people into enemies, our humanity is always just beneath the surface, waiting for a chance to be seen.

Sadly, when word of these moments of unity across divides spread, they were seen as a threat to the goals of the war. Those in power worked hard to ensure that conditions for such fraternization were no longer possible. This, too, should give us pause. History reminds us how easily fear and division can take root, turning neighbors into enemies for purposes that serve neither peace nor our shared humanity.

In this season marked by many holy days and traditions, and as the world so deeply needs rest, we offer our prayers and work toward a global ceasefire—for an end to all violence everywhere. May humanity take a collective breath and remember who we really are.

We are body, mind, and spirit.
We are deeply interconnected.
We are one human family, learning again and again to see beyond the illusion of separation.

May the spirit of our shared humanity shine brightly. May there be stillness—a truly silent night—where violence ceases, even if only for a moment. A silence that heals hearts and reminds us of what is possible.