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Archbishop John Wilson’s 2025 Christmas message

In his annual Christmas message to the Archdiocese, Archbishop John said that “each time we are asked the meaning of Christmas, our hearts should be filled with awe, joy and hope as we are drawn back to that remarkable night in Bethlehem”.

This is because, on “that night, the world changed forever. The Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, revealed the majesty and glory of God”.

The Archbishop said that there is no clearer message of God’s love than him choosing to dwell among us. Archbishop John said:

It’s not simply, as St John tells us elsewhere in the Scripture, that we have loved God “but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10), and that is why he sent his Son: so that we could be saved from sin and death.

This is the meaning of the Incarnation. That God, through his Son, dwelt among us so that we can know his love in our hearts and rejoice in his glory.  

In the Baby Jesus, Archbishop John said, “born as Emmanuel, God with us – we can find hope and meaning. In the Lord Jesus we find joy and love. Because Jesus is Emmanuel: God with us, with me and with you.”

This is why, Archbishop John explained, “the meaning of Christmas is something that should fill our hearts, each and every day, with joy because it means we are never alone or abandoned”.

The Archbishop said:

“The beautiful truth of Christmas is that because of God in Christ we are never lost. God chose to be near us, to stay close to us always, to draw us to himself, always.

“In his endless mercy, the Lord Jesus chose to love us, so we could know and believe that “God is love” (1 John 4:16).

“In turn, all the Lord Jesus asks of us is to not be afraid and to say yes to him, to draw close to him, to love him.”

The next time you are asked the meaning of Christmas, Archbishop John encourages you to say “with your heart filled with the love of the Lord Jesus, that you say yes to his love. As you rejoice in this love, remember the words of St John, “we love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19)”.

Concluding his message, Archbishop John wished all a blessed and Merry Christmas, and a very happy and holy New Year which is filled with an encounter with the Lord Jesus and his saving Gospel:

“I wish you and those you love a blessed and very merry Christmas, may the Lord Jesus fill you with his peace and his love and may you “walk in love”, as Christ loved you (Ephesians 5:2).

And I wish you and all your loved ones a very happy and holy New Year. I pray each day is filled with an encounter with the Lord Jesus and his saving Gospel, so that you can feel his love and experience the “fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11).”

Archbishop John Wilson's 2025 Christmas message

Dear friends,

What is the meaning of Christmas?

Each time we are asked the meaning of Christmas, our hearts should be filled with awe, joy and hope as we are drawn back to that remarkable night in Bethlehem.

On that night, the world changed forever. The Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, revealed the majesty and glory of God.

On this momentous night, we not only discovered the meaning of Christmas. We discovered the meaning of love, and the meaning of life.

God in Christ, entered our world so we could we could enter his. God sent his only Son, so we might live through him (1 John 4:9).

There is no clearer message of God’s love. It’s a message of love the world desperately needed to hear, and still desperately needs to hear.

In the Gospel of St John (1:14) the beauty of God’s love for us is revealed, when we hear that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory”.

It’s not simply, as St John tells us elsewhere in the Scripture, that we have loved God “but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10), and that is why he sent his Son: so that we could be saved from sin and death.

This is the meaning of the Incarnation. That God, through his Son, dwelt among us so that we can know his love in our hearts and rejoice in his glory.

This magnificent glory of the Lord can feel overwhelming and that is why we sometimes seek to distract ourselves with all manner of things. Remember, it certainly overwhelmed the shepherds who were filled with great fear.

But we are called to hold fast to the words of the angel of the Lord, who turned to them and said “fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy” that born this day is “a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:9-11).

In the baby Jesus, born as Emmanuel, God with us – we can find hope and meaning. In the Lord Jesus we find joy and love.

Because Jesus is Emmanuel: God with us, with me and with you.

That is why the meaning of Christmas is something that should fill our hearts, each and every day, with joy because it means we are never alone or abandoned.

God in Christ wants us to feel his love, in our joys but especially when we are frightened, when we are in pain and when we feel lost.

The beautiful truth of Christmas is that because of God in Christ we are never lost. God chose to be near us, to stay close to us always, to draw us to himself, always.

In his endless mercy, the Lord Jesus chose to love us, so we could know and believe that “God is love” (1 John 4:16).

In turn, all the Lord Jesus asks of us is to not be afraid and to say yes to him, to draw close to him, to love him.

So my dear friends, the next time you are asked the meaning of Christmas, answer emphatically, with joy in your hearts, that Christmas means God in Christ Jesus loves me and he loves you.

And say with your heart filled with the love of the Lord Jesus, that you say yes to his love. As you rejoice in this love, remember the words of St John, “we love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

I wish you and those you love a blessed and very merry Christmas, may the Lord Jesus fill you with his peace and his love and may you “walk in love”, as Christ loved you (Ephesians 5:2).

And I wish you and all your loved ones a very happy and holy New Year. I pray each day is filled with an encounter with the Lord Jesus and his saving Gospel, so that you can feel his love and experience the “fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11).