Do you hear what I hear? Is this the last song of the past season or is this the first song of the new season, the new year. “ A sigh, a sigh…..way up in the sky,” written by a Jewish peace loving woman after WWII during the Cuban missile crisis, appropriately is for both the new year and the scary time, which is now.
“Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, do you hear what I hear?” This question with a yearning, haunting melody makes us eager for some answer because this past season that should have been peaceful was not. Many innocent people were cold, hungry and threatened.
“Do you hear what I hear, Ringing through the sky to the shepherd boy?” Would this be the sound of bombs and missiles or, “A sigh, a sigh high above the sea, with a voice as big as the sea?” Maybe this is a prayer for peace. Most of all and throughout the world, we need peace.
“Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, Do you know what I know? A child given in the cold, we can bring him silver and gold.” We can bring suffering people the silver warmth of clothes and homes with the gold of food and medicine.
“Said the king to the people everywhere, ‘Do as I say, pray for peace for people everywhere.’” This mighty powerful request seems to be for today, this first day of the new year. It seems that we need to hear and to heed the voice from the sky: to not only pray but to act as if we truly want peace.
We need to stop the oppression of people, stop the destruction, halt the making of destructive instruments and to make peace with people everywhere.
Mary Zanger
Hollister
