From "A Minute for Caregivers- When Every Day Feels Like Monday"

An Instrument of Peace

 

Walter Kirchhoff stepped into history on Christmas Eve in 1914 when the opera singer/German officer sang “Silent Night” in both English and German on the battlefields of World War I. On a “beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground,” Kirchhoff’s voice rose from the trenches—and touched battle-hardened soldiers from Belgium, France, Germany, and England. The moment’s poignancy spurred other soldiers to sing while temporarily laying down arms. Incredulously, the battlefield became festive as soldiers tentatively walked toward one another and extended Christmas greetings. Despite Pope Benedict XV’s earlier plea for a Christmas truce, the fighting continued until soldiers chose to sing rather than shoot.

More than likely, Kirchhoff had no idea of the resulting impact of his voice echoing over the scarred landscape; he followed his heart and honored the moment. Sadly, the truce was temporary. Yet, history doesn’t record the first soldier to resume firing; it only remembers the one who first sang of peace, reverence, and the meaning of Christmas. 

The teachable moment extends today. Families remain filled with conflict over caregiving challenges—many of which may erupt at Christmas gatherings. Yet the precedent stands: in the darkest of times, one voice lifted heavenward can calm a battlefield. 

If enough follow Kirchhoff’s example, we might not only witness a truce—we may also have peace. 

 

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

—St. Francis of Assisi