Christmas Message 2021 from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia and Archbishop of Adelaide, Geoff Smith
One of the very powerful images of the past few decades is the view of earth from space. A small planet in the midst of a huge expanse. And that's our world.
It reminds us how small we are in the scheme of things. How insignificant we are as we hurtle through the blackness. Being reminded of that reality can make us feel very vulnerable and on our own. This community of creation limited to a small and fragile planet. And yet one of the powerful messages of Christmas is that in the birth of Jesus Christ God demonstrated powerfully that we are not on our own. God became one of us in the person of Jesus. We have not been left to solve our problems. Our existence is greater than ourselves and what we see. We as a global community are not on our own. God is with us. God loves us. God loves the creation. There is hope for the present and the future.
This is a significant message for a world which is struggling with many challenges. The most immediate is the challenge of Covid 19. But there is also the crisis of climate change. Increasing global tension and re-emergence of tribalism. The polarisation of opinion.
Rather than working together as inhabitants of this small planet we are becoming more splintered and less co-operative.
Christmas says that God loves this small planet so much God hasn't left us alone but has reached out in Jesus. That gift of love is ours to appreciate and receive but also to share.
I think it would make a huge difference to this world if we accepted Gods love and shared it with each other and the planet. It would make a huge difference at this time in our history if we intentionally tried to treat each other respectfully and focus on what is good for others, our society and the planet and to do that with graciousness, acceptance, and generosity. Our love mirroring God's love will bring hope and healing to this broken and divided world.
The simple story of a baby in a manger is dismissed by many, yet it continues to be a light of hope that shines eternal as it is the birth of God in human form, coming to us in love. This is the sign that God has love and hope for the world. As such the message of Christmas, the message of God's extravagant love, offers a real alternative for a flourishing life.
As we come again to this Christmas time, I encourage us to ponder afresh the love of God seen most clearly in the coming of Jesus and to respond to this love by loving others. Showing forgiveness, gentleness, kindness and graciousness. These are not just words-they actually make a difference. The challenges we face are very real. But in the end we can be sure we are not on our own. We are not unloved. God is with us. God loves us. We know that's true, because of Christmas.
