Christmas message of hope from the Bishop of Portsmouth

I wish you a light-filled and joyful Christmas!

During the past year, I had the great privilege of visiting Ghana. The Church of England in south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is linked to the Church in Ghana.

For many years we’ve enjoyed the exchange of ideas, of people and of faith.

During the visit, there was one night when we had driven many hundreds of miles. It was very late, and we were on our way to where we would rest for the night. And one of the tyres on our car had a huge blowout.

There we were on the side of a busy, unlit road – not the safest place to be – and struggling to get the wheel off. There we were with our little torches, shining light on the matter, but unable to fix the problem.

Then someone driving a truck, on their way home after a long day’s work, decided to pull over. He put the floodlights on at the front of the truck, flooding the situation in light. He also had the kit we needed to get ourselves sorted out, to get a new wheel on and to get us on our way.

That was a light in the darkness for us, stuck as we were on the edge of things. And I think that’s a lovely picture of Christmas, for at this time of year we remember God’s light shines in Jesus.

That’s important to remember in a world where there is much darkness. We think of Ukraine, Syria, Israel, Palestine and the rest of the Middle East, where there is so much suffering and sadness. I hope it’s not the case, but maybe your life too has dark shades in it and things you struggle with. I know mine does.

This is where our faith in the Christ-child, son of Mary, is so important and such a gift to the world.

For the story of Christmas is the story of God’s light flooding into the darkness and the darkness not overcoming it.

This light of Christ shines today for you and for me, in the lives of so many seeking to bring change and hope, and a future to our world.

I pray that this Christmas you may discover and welcome afresh the light of Christ into your life and into your plans, so that you may rejoice as you move forward– as we did at the floodlights from the truck in Ghana.

May you know the presence of Christ, guiding you and lighting your path this Christmas, and in all the days that follow.

Watch the video embedded in this story to hear a special Christmas message from the Bishop.