Radio Melanesia

December 24, 2024

As the Advent season ends, it is hoped that all Christians have seriously heeded the message heralded by the voices in Isaiah 40:4 and John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2-3, to “Prepare the way of the Lord”, and “Repent”. Advent has been the time for us to make ready and prepare for the coming of Christ. Unlike the shepherds in the fields who unexpectedly received news of the birth of Christ with absolute awe, we have been invited to prepare well in advance, heeding the message of John the Baptist to turn away from our sins and turn towards God. Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, although fully divine, was fully human and humble. The glory that shone over the shepherds, the visitation of the Magi and the stable itself, rugged, dirty and smelly, all underscore the virtues of Christ’s humility as described by St Paul in Philippians 2:5-11, as , although God he was born in human likeness . Although we may not experience the utter wonder and awe of the shepherds on that first Christmas night, but by taking on the virtues and attitudes of Christ, God’s glory will shine upon the world through our lives. Christ can be born daily in our lives; this is what it means for Christ to dwell among us. Just as the shepherds celebrated the birth of Christ with their immediate and heartfelt response, “let us go and see this thing, which the Lord has made known to us” (Lk. 2:5), the Church too is called to respond meaningfully with action. Christ, through his birth and throughout his life, calls us to love God and to love our neighbours. That call to love is boundless. It goes far and beyond where the physical eyes can see, to where only the heart can see. There are many situations around the world alerting us to need for that love and calling us to respond with meaningful action as the shepherds did. Climate change is devastating our planet, war in many counties is denying the peace that Christ brought, including in the Holy Land where the Prince of Peace was born. Social human structures in varied ways, greed, and thirst for power continue to shatter human good will and harmony and natural disasters continue to destroy human lives. All these situations need the love of God to shine and be made visible. The three countries making up the Anglican Church of Melanesia are no exception. Earlier this year New Caledonia experience political unrest and violence. The Solomon Islands continue to experience the wounds and repercussions of the recent social unrests and in Vanuatu we are overwhelmed by the devastating effects of the earthquake that hit them on the 7th of December claiming lives homes, properties and livelihoods. Many families and individuals also suffer in silence the impacts of unjust social structures. It was in such chaotic situations as these that Christ was born. And so again Christian’s are called to shine forth the glory of God through our actions, as did the shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth. We are called to be together as a Church to each other. We are called to hold together, to walk together hand in hand and heart to heart. Just as Christ becomes God’s gift to us at Christmas, we too must become the gifts of God to each other and to the world both near and far. In the midst of all this, the Council of Bishops and their families, and the General Secretary and his family join me and my family to wish you all a blessed merry Christmas, and best wishes for a prosperous new year in 2025. We wish you well in our prayers and through our agape-love. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the world. (Luke 2:10). The birth of Christ brings great joy and hope to all the world, including the war torn countries, disaster stricken countries, countries impacted by climate change, and countries with political instability. We send our best wishes to the corners of the world, through our prayers, and love; even when we cannot be seen out there we can be felt through our prayers. We also convey our prayerful greetings and rich Christmas and New Year blessings to the Governments and people of our three beloved countries. We assure them of our faithful prayers and unwavering support for their work in delivering quality services to our people. All our Governments stand on the firm foundation of the Kingdom of God. Coupled with our best wishes is my profound acknowledgement and appreciation to the whole Anglican Church of Melanesia, including the Council of Bishops, our traditional partner agencies and mission stakeholders, women leaders and individuals for our collective mission and ministry through 2024. I feel your presence and acknowledge your support for our collective efforts during the past year. We have truly walked hand in hand and heart to heart. Through our efforts together we have made positive progress forward in the life and mission of the Church. 2025 is going to be another challenging and busy year for the Church. We thank God for calling us and preparing us to carry forward his plans for his Church and our people as we continue to walk and work together. Finally, we hold each other in our prayers in our celebration of the festivities of glade tidings. We pray most specifically for the vulnerable and the marginalised of our societies, the sick and our dear ones with disability, the victims of domestic violence and abuse, our loved ones at the Correctional centres, those in war zones and those who mourn their dear loved ones. As the body of Christ, we are fully aware that one part of our body in Vanuatu is grieving, mourning, living in makeshift homes and suffering the effects of the 17 December earthquake. We send our love and prayers to our Christian brethren in Vanuatu who suffer while most people enjoy the joyful and glade tidings. Those of you who are travelling during this festivities, it is important that you strictly adhere to weather information, even if you have all invaluable devices and important necessities in hand. A blessed merry Christmas to you all and best wishes for a prosperous New Year 2025. From the Arch Bishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia; The Most Reverend Leonard Dawea