Hope is a great gift from God

Hope is a word used frequently at Christmas time, especially in the messages we send to each other: “Hope this finds you well”, “hope you have a happy Christmas and New Year”.

Of course, our children are hoping, at this time of year, to receive those presents that might fulfil all their expectations.

And that points us to the definition of hope; that when we have hope we seek a particular desire to be fulfilled.

Hope for the Christian community is centred on a child called Jesus born to Mary in Bethlehem, for Jesus is the fulfilment of this community’s desire for peace and justice, as love overcomes everything that removes hope.

Jesus is our hope, and as his hope is a constant reality, even through death, it is something the Christian community can put its faith in.

This is what we celebrate at Christmas.

For at Christmas, hope is the gift we have received through the generosity of God’s love for the world.

God has hope in humanity to gift us the hope we need to live our daily lives.

Hope lifts our hearts, and motivates us to find value and purpose in our daily living. The Church constantly prays that hope will never be extinguished by proclaiming the light of Christ. Light is a metaphor for hope. May we carry that light, especially in candlelit services this Christmas, and give thanks to God for the hope we find all around us especially in the most vulnerable places of our experience.

Each Christmas we celebrate God is with us. Jesus is born.

Hope will never die.

Reverend Ian Barcroft of St Mary’s Episcopal Church