Your Holiness:
Because, at this Christmas time, the world is in sorrow,
it is especially fitting that I send
you a message of greeting and of
faith.
The world has created for itself a civilization capable of
giving to mankind security and
peace firmly set in the foundations of religious
teachings. Yet, though it has conquered
the earth, the sea, and even the air,
civilization today passes through war and travail.
I take heart in remembering that in a similar time, Isaiah
first prophesied the birth of
Christ. Then, several centuries before His
coming, the condition of the world was not
unlike that which we see today. Then,
as now, a conflagration had been set; and nations
walked dangerously in the
light of the fires they had themselves kindled. But in that very
moment a spiritual
rebirth was foreseen, a new day which was to loose the captives and
to consume
the conquerors in the fire of their own kindling; and those who had taken the
sword were to perish by the sword. There was promised a new age wherein through
renewed faith the upward progress of the human race would become more
secure.
Again, during the several centuries, which we refer to as
the Dark Ages, the flame and
sword of barbarians swept over Western civilization;
and, again, through a rekindling of
the inherent spiritual spark in mankind,
another rebirth brought back order and culture
and religion.
I believe that the travail of today is a new form of these
old conflicts. Because the tempo
of all worldly things has been so greatly
accelerated in these modern days we can hope
that the period of darkness and
destruction will be vastly shorter than in the olden times.
In their hearts men decline to accept, for long, the law
of destruction forced upon them by
wielders of brute force. Always they seek,
sometimes in silence, to find again the faith
without which the welfare of
nations and the peace of the world cannot be rebuilt.
I have the rare privilege of reading the letters and
confidences of thousands of humble
people, living in scores of different nations.
Their names are not known to history, but
their daily work and courage carry on
the life of the world. I know that these, and
uncounted numbers like them in
every country, are looking for a guiding light. We
remember that the Christmas Star
was first seen by shepherds in the hills, long before
the leaders knew of the
Great Light which had entered the world.
I believe that while statesmen are considering a new order
of things, the new order may
well be at hand. I believe that it is even now
being built, silently but inevitably, in the
hearts of masses whose voices are
not heard, but whose common faith will write the final
history of our time.
They know that unless there is belief in some guiding principle and so
me trust
in a divine plan, nations are without light, and peoples perish. They know that
the civilization handed down to us by our fathers was built by men and women who
knew
in their hearts that all were brothers because they were children of God.
They believe
that by His will enmities can be healed; that in His mercy the weak
can find deliverance,
and the strong can find grace in helping the weak.
In the grief and terror of the hour, these quiet voices,
if they can be heard, may yet tell
of the re/building of the world.
It is well that the world should think of this at
Christmas.
Because the people of this nation have come to a
realization that time and distance no
longer exist in the older sense, they understand
that that which harms one segment of
humanity harms all the rest. They know that
only by friendly association between the
seekers of light and the seekers of
peace everywhere can the forces of evil be
overcome.
In these present moments, no spiritual leader, no civil
leader can move forward on a
specific plan to terminate destruction and build
anew. Yet the time for that will surely
come.
It is, therefore, my thought that though no given action or
given time may now be
prophesied, it is well that we encourage a closer
association between those in every part
of the world those in religion and
those in government who have a common purpose.
I am, therefore, suggesting to Your Holiness that it would
give me great satisfaction to
send to You my personal representative in order
that our parallel endeavours for peace
and the alleviation of suffering may be
assisted. When the time shall come for
the
re-establishment of world peace on a surer foundation, it is of the utmost
importance to
humanity and to religion that common ideals shall have united expression.
Furthermore, when that happy day shall dawn, great problems
of practical import will face
us all. Millions of people of all races, all
nationalities and all religions may seek new lives
by migration to other lands or by reestablishment
of old homes. Here, too, common
ideals
call for parallel action. I trust,
therefore, that all of the churches of the world which
believe in a common God
will throw the great weight of their influence into this great
cause.
To You, whom I have the privilege of calling
a good friend and an old friend, I send my
respectful greetings at this Christmas
Season.
Cordially yours,
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
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