The Archbishop of Canterbury's 1993 Christmas Message
Episcopal News Service. November 4, 1993 [93203]
The Most Rev. and Rt. Honorable George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury
One of the great hymns of the church proclaims:
The world has waited long, Has travailed long in pain; to heal its ancient wrong, come, Prince of Peace, and reign! - G.W. Briggs (1875-1959)
My message to our Anglican Communion family in 1993 comes as the world seems engulfed in conflict, yet the possibility of peace, in some parts of this broken world, seems just over the horizon.
We rejoice with the signs of progress in the Middle East, while the situations in The Sudan, Northern Ireland, Somalia and in Eastern Europe demand our utmost attention and concern. We see the former Soviet Union struggling to maintain peace and to prosper as a people following the long rule of Communism. We pray for street children in parts of South America and for the homeless everywhere.
As Archbishop of Canterbury I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand some of the pain and sorrows as well as to see hope and sense of accomplishment that is apparent in parts of God's world.
My recent visit to Romania, Russia, Armenia and Georgia made me realize that strong faith and determination can bring about change and that a reliance on God does sustain people in their struggle. A church in exile has surfaced with vigor and strength. In Warrington, England, I visited the site of a terrorist bombing in which young children were killed yet at the same time saw a community rise to decry the act and to support and uphold the people devastated by such senseless behavior.
During the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council gathering in the Province of Southern Africa last January, we as Anglican leaders, experienced a vibrant and alive church. Yet this church has felt the pain of injustice and has been victimized by the sin of hatred for far too long.
Hope is on the horizon, but the struggle continues. What can we learn from our fellow Anglicans in the strife-torn parts of this world? In my visit to the United States I was made aware of the increasing problems of street crime and found people simply afraid to leave their own homes after dark.
Early next year my visits around the Communion, God willing, will allow me to see firsthand the situation in the Sudan and Nigeria, two parts of the Communion that have been in the prayers of many for a long time.
Why then, in the midst of all these struggles, is the Church of Nigeria, the Episcopal Church in the Sudan, the Church of the Province of Southern Africa flourishing with a vibrant fellowship of faith and an example of perseverance and dedication that can be a model to us all? We see an upward trend in church attendance in England and the United States of America, and support for the world from these countries continues to help the less fortunate. In Canada, Australia and New Zealand we find the church in constant dialogue with the original inhabitants of these great lands, working for a common purpose and with a common hope for the future.
The reality of AIDS strikes a somber note as we hear of much suffering and misunderstanding, yet in my visits to places of care for such persons I have seen people receiving Christ-like care and who are able to find a new hope in the midst of their living with this disease, because the Church is there to say that we care. As our efforts of evangelization continue during this special decade, what is it that the churches are finding? The answer -- a people longing for God, for the Prince of Peace.
Thanks be to God for that is just what we have to offer -- the Word made Flesh, Jesus, Son of God and Savior. Because of the faithfulness of Joseph and the obedience of Mary, this gift of peace came as Emmanuel, God-with-us, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The challenge to me and you is -- can we, do we know how, to share what we have seen, what we have experienced in Jesus? Frankly, in some places, the fire of Jesus' love must be rekindled, set ablaze once again for the sake of the world Christ came to redeem. Our relationships with each other and with those with whom we encounter must share the same spirit of intimacy as Elizabeth shared with Mary in the Gospel account of the Visitation. Mary, scared, full of a desire to understand God's working in her life, rushes to Elizabeth her cousin, after hearing the shocking news of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. Are we there, like Elizabeth, ready and willing to greet, console and aid those whom we meet on life's journey?
I ask each and every Anglican Christian, as you make your Communion this Christmastide, to renew in yourself a commitment to "the living bread that came down from heaven" -- pledge anew your allegiance to the Prince of Peace. Truly this is Holy Communion. Remember our worship at the Holy Eucharist is to be a thanksgiving for all we have received and are called to be as Christians. Christ can and does make a difference. Our pledge for the coming year must be to do all in our power to live that life of peace and share it with a world in great need. We must continue to be fervent in our prayer for each other as a family and for the whole of God's creation.
My wife Eileen joins me in wishing you a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Thank you for your affection and prayers during the past year.
The Most Rev. and Rt. Honorable George Carey Archbishop of Canterbury Christmas 1993