Preface
Right now, when I am compiling this book with my Christmas texts, I am receiving terrible news from Christmassy Dresden, the Dresden in which I live. The Striezelmarkt has to be closed, because next door in the Altmarkt-Galerie a 40-year-old man took the manager of a drugstore and a 9-year-old child as hostages.
This morning, shortly before, he killed his 62-year-old mother in Dresden-Prohlis, just a few hundred meters away from the skyscraper in which I live. The probably mentally confused man then tried to break into the radio building of “Radio Dresden” near the main train station in order to spread some messages over the radio. The security door prevented him from doing so. Then he went on to the Altmarktgalerie and took the two hostages. The SEK was then able to free the hostages unharmed, and the man was shot. The background is still unclear at the moment.
How terrible is all this! Even at Christmas time the world cannot live in peace because individuals are not at peace themselves. But that’s exactly what we’re experiencing in Ukraine and in the many trouble spots around the world.
“Peace on earth!” This is the cheering cry of the angels at the birth of Jesus 2000 years ago. Yes: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward humans. (Luke 2:14) God in the highest comes to us humans in a child to fill us with his peace. Later Jesus says: My peace I give you. But not a peace that is just a ceasefire, but that reconciles you with yourself, your neighbor and God. (based loosely on John 14:27)
God bless you, my friends!
Drifter's Day 