For the past few weeks, cities have been decorated for Christmas with typical Christmas messages displayed. These messages invite us to solidarity, to reunite with family, and to generosity with others, but also sometimes to consumerism, to waste, to greed, or to many other things.
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, the third largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, wanted to make an ode to a film released in 2005 called Joyeux Noël, which recounts the true story of the French, English, and German soldiers who made an unofficial truce one Christmas Day in Belgium during the First World War. The men who were fighting in the trenches that day decided to forget their differences and halt artillery fire. They buried dead soldiers together, sang Christmas songs, and played soccer.
This year, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War (1914-1918), Sainsbury’s called attention to this event that signaled a milestone in the war and in sports. It is not so important that Sainsbury’s is advertising as part of the ad because they are doing much more than that. Not only are they getting good publicity, but giving good example. The company has also announced that the proceeds from sales of the famous chocolate bar seen in the advertisements will be donated to charity. Perhaps the amount will not be spectacular, but it may inspire an even better thing: businesses and advertising firms putting more emphasis on what truly matters in life. Yes, the objective is to sell, but selling can be done without resorting to shallow cliché’s or vulgarity – especially during the Christmas season.
What we now call “The Christmas Truce” emerged as a fruit of those precious few hours of rest and play during the war. Today, in those areas in which other fierce battles are being fought, there are projects to educate and encourage the virtue of peace to young children through sports.
For that peace which has yet to arrive, let us ask God to grant it. We still desire that same Christmas peace that ends conflicts and wars, and which puts a halt to family arguments during this special time.
Last year, during the Summer Olympic Games, the President of the International Olympic Committee called for a return to the traditional Olympic Peace of the Greeks. Today, the Church and Sport section would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and ask for a moment of prayer for the many countries, regions, families and so many other people who are at war with themselves or with others.
