Dear Family of God,
As we gather to celebrate another Christmas, we hear again the angel’s message to the shepherds of
“I bring you news of great joy for all people: today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” This is the good news of great joy we continue today celebrate every Christmas.
Christmas carries many signs of joy – the lights, the family gatherings, the act of gift-giving, and even the familiar tastes of black cake, ham, and sorrel. These enrich our Christmas celebrations, but we need to be often reminded that they are not its foundation. They are not the reason for the season. They simply point us toward a greater and deeper truth.
The real joy of Christmas is found in the astonishing reality that the God of the universe stepped into our world in human form. This is why we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.” In Jesus Christ, God comes near – revealing His heart, inviting us into relationship, and calling us to live by His Kingdom values of righteousness, peace, love and joy. Through His coming, He offers a joy that is steady, life-giving, and transformative. We receive and experience that joy when we, on earth, receive our King.
As God’s people, we must remember that our joy does not depend on circumstances or seasonal comforts. It rests in the unchanging truth of who Christ is and what He has done for us. Our joy is anchored in Emmanuel, God with us, and grounded in the salvation He brings, the peace He gives, and the hope He offers. We rejoice because Christ has come, Christ is present with us, and Christ will come again. When our eyes remain fixed on Him, we discover a joy that strengthens us in hardship, steadies us in uncertainty, and sends us into the world as witnesses of His love.
However, even today, not everyone feels joyful; for some are grieving. Some are facing financial strain. Some feel the weight of loneliness or fractured relationships. Some are battling a terminal illness and experiencing the pains and stress of their infirmity. Others are simply weary in body, mind, or spirit. If that is our experience at this time, the message of Christmas is especially for us. Jesus came not only for those who celebrate easily, but especially for those who long for inner joy and peace. He came for the burdened, the wounded, the heavy-laden and the brokenhearted. He is Emmanuel in every season, including the difficult ones and the changing scenes of life.
This is where the Church must reflect His heart. Since Christ came near to bring joy and to lift the sorrowing, we are called to embody and extend that same joy God extends to us, by having compassion for others, being present and available to them and extending love in action.
May we, this Christmas and the coming year, as God came to be with us, draw near to those who especially feel alone, listen to those who are hurting, extend generosity to those in need, and create space and a welcome for those who feel out of place. Joy becomes visible when God’s people live as Christ lived – present, caring, and willing to serve.
So let us not leave this joy at the manger or pack it up with the decorations. Let us share it into our homes, workplaces, and communities. Let us choose joy in knowing God is with us when challenges arise. Let us speak joy when others are discouraged – especially our youth; and let us live joy in ways that help people recognize the presence of God in our lives. May our lives become invitations—silent or spoken—that proclaim the good news: “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”
On behalf of my wife Chandra and our boys – Michael John, Christopher and Kalan, I wish you and yours a blessed and joyous Christmas and God’s continued presence, protection and peace in the coming year 2026.
Your friend and bishop
+Michael Barbados.
