Bishop Wong’s Christmas letter |24 December 2020
Bishop James Wong
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
“My dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you at Christmas in the name of the Child of Bethlehem. As we are celebrating Christmas, let us think about all those who are struggling for their rights and aspiring for dignity, justice, and peace in the world and in Seychelles. The evils of our world such as wars and violence, hate and egoism, social injustice, self-sufficiency and destruction of the natural environment, cause pain and sufferings to many in various places. Others are still striving to find peace and reconciliation because of their past history.
“In just one day, we will celebrate God’s entry into the world and human history as a Child. With the birth of a Child, the world received a promise, the coming of the prince of peace. God comes in the midst of our humanity and creation as a promise to inaugurate a time of hope and growing peace.
“As a nation, we have known through our history, perpetrators and victims, culprits and those who suffered. Many have disappeared; others had to go into exile and others were simply killed. We are still a suffering nation; we are still crying for our dearly beloved. We have been wounded and the healing is very slow.
“We are daily discovering through the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission atrocities which took place since the coup of the 5th June 1977 until recently. We are hearing the truth concerning the then realities and praise God that we are now in a new normal. The Word of God teaches: “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32. Yes, the truth will set us free. This Christmas, turn to those whom you have hurt and ask for forgiveness. Go quickly, go directly to those who hurt you or members of your families: fight for restored relationships, rip up the weeds of bitterness, and pursue the fruit of reconciliation.
“And if we are going to truly say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to one another, then we must adopt the passion of Jesus to step into the awkward, uncomfortable, humbling messiness that is reconciliation with one another.
“This Christmas let us remember that Christ has come for us; that he stepped into our broken mess and paid the price for us to be fully and completely reconciled to God. As his followers, let us receive our King and bear his name well, honouring his name and kingdom by modelling his passion for real reconciliation.
“Christmas, my dear fellow pilgrims on our earthly journey, reminds us that God has not forgotten us humans, nor abandoned his creation. In fact, God has come to us, and even become one of us! Christ tasted life as a refugee, as a poor villager of an oppressed people. Christ witnessed the suffering of the masses and faced violence, oppression, and death itself. Christ understood the evil that our world can produce – He tasted it, He confronted it, and ultimately, He overcame it!
“My dear brothers and sisters, in the Christmas Child is given to each one of us a promise of reconciliation and peace that reveals God’s love, which overcomes all the threats, even death itself. This is the Good News and Great joy, which the angels proclaimed to the shepherds, this is the news we received and have to share with one another. In Christmas, we celebrate the coming of Christ, who reveals a radically new path in life, a new normal.
“Merry and blessed Christmas to you all.
“Stay blessed and safe.”
The Most Rev James Wong
Your Bishop and fellow pilgrim