Christmas message from Anglican Bishop Right Reverend Michael Maxwell
Dear people of Barbados and visitors to our shores, I greet you on this Christmas Day, the date which the Christian Church has set aside on our calendars to annually commemorate and commence a twelve-day season of celebrating one of the greatest acts of God in history.
The words, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace to his people on earth,” which the angels proclaimed to the shepherds who rejoiced on hearing them on that first Christmas night, form one of the greatest messages conveyed to humanity, the offering of peace to God’s people on earth through His coming into this world in Jesus Christ to be our Prince of Peace. This act of God was not just a miraculous and spectacular one worthy of the tremendous praise on high, but also to fulfil the purpose for His coming to the earth He created, a world marred by sin, to offer peace by way of His gift of love, mercy and reconciliation.
What is so marvellous and amazing is that He came to offer and restore peace, not as a brigadier general of a defence force, or as a Commander in Chief of a national army, to destroy and wipe out all those who were considered to be evil; nor even as a Secretary General of the United Nations to lead in the development of peace treaties; but He came as our Saviour and Redeemer. He was one born and raised under humble circumstances, who grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man, to share God’s love and call persons to have hearts filled with love for God, for each other and for His creation.
I’m sure this Christmas there are many, maybe ourselves included, who are still searching, praying and hoping for peace as we live in a world that appears to be very lost and confused, with many conflicts and wars and rumours of wars; a world that is crying out for peace. It is said that there are about thirteen to fourteen wars currently ongoing across our world, the most recent ones being the Russian-Ukrainian War and the Israel-Hamas conflict where thousands of lives have already been lost, and now within our Caribbean region there is the border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela which we hope and pray will be resolved amicably and for our region to remain relatively a zone of peace. However, beyond those international conflicts, there are, right here at home, the interpersonal tensions between various blocks and gangs, persons of various religious faiths and those of no faith, those who consider themselves progressives and those who are conservatives, the present government and those opposing many of their policies, employers and employees, parents and children, husbands and wives, priests or pastors and their congregations, and the list can go on; causing us to wonder if there will ever be peace on earth.
It is often said that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart; hearts that lack peace with God, peace within, peace with others and peace with the order and integrity of creation. It is to address this problem that God sent His Son, the Prince of Peace that first Christmas morn, to provide the means through which the hearts of those who receive Him – who receive His love, mercy and way of life –may be transformed by Him to experience peace in its fullness and be agents of peace.
May this Christmas then be a time, when we as a people and a nation are inspired to open our hearts, for such a transformation as our God of peace continues to offer us His gift and way of love that makes for peace and builds up the common life. May that peace, which only He can offer and the world fails to give, truly dwell in our hearts, in our relationship with our Maker, in our homes and among the members of our family, in our places of worship and learning and employment, in our districts and our nation as a whole.
May we be agents for peaceful relationships during this Christmas season and beyond, remembering the lyrics of the songwriters Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”, as we commit ourselves daily to follow the Prince of Peace.
Wishing you and yours, on behalf of my family and the Anglican Church of Barbados, a blessed and peaceful Christmas season and God’s favour for the year 2024.
