A Christmas Message of Hope

Rev. Karen Hincke | Dec 16, 2015

After another year of difficulty at home and abroad, those of us who are Christians will gather to remember once more the birth of a child filled with hope and promise. In churches across Canada, we will join fellow believers all over the world and celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who preached goodwill toward all.

The birth of Jesus stands as a symbol of hope for all time. In his ministry, echoing the words of the Hebrew Prophets, Jesus envisioned a new world - the Kingdom of God - where the last would come first and justice would roll down like mighty waters. We remember God’s great love for the world in the gift of Jesus Christ. And we read once again of the flight of his family in search of a safer place than home. We also remember Jesus’ later teaching, as recorded in Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

Hope is important in times such as these. We live in a nation where one million children suffer hunger each year, and 30,000 people in Canada are homeless on any given night; climate change threatens God's whole creation; across the globe battles rage in places like Syria and Afghanistan; we are astounded after shootings in cafés, schools, religious institutions and theatres.

In the midst of these times, we find hope in the volunteers from diverse faith communities who work with people who are homeless and those who are hungry; we marvel at those who spend their lives fighting for environmental protections; we give thanks for those who are teachers and first responders; and we remember that blessed are the peacemakers who seek this Christmas season to end war and to provide homes for refugees.

In this festival season celebrating the Incarnation in Jesus Christ, let us honour every gift we receive from God the Creation, and let us respect every member of the human family! Let us offer prayers and sing praises to God for all the gifts we have been given, but let us also act on the teachings of Jesus to bring hope to people and places left in darkness.

May all the blessings of Christmas be yours, and may they be yours to share.

The Rev. Karen Hincke

Minister, Presbyterian Churches of Snow Road, Elphin and McDonalds Corners