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In his 2024 Christmas message, Archbishop John said it is by placing our hope in the Lord Jesus that we can find the answer to peace, in our hearts and in our world.

In his annual Christmas message, the Archbishop of Southwark, John Wilson, calls on people to turn to the Lord Jesus in hope.

Highlighting the ongoing wars around the world, including the Holy Land, as well as the attacks on the dignity of life at home in assisted suicide, the Archbishop said “in a world that seems so divided, it can be easy to lose hope; even to lose faith”.

“But in times of darkness, in times of pain, in times of division, instead of giving into the temptation of losing hope we must turn to our one, great living hope - the Lord Jesus. In Him, and in His message of Good News, we see the possibility of a different and better world. In Him we have the hope of forgiveness and eternal life".

This, Archbishop John said, “is what the truth of Christmas is all about. It’s a story of hope triumphing over darkness. It is the story of our salvation. It’s God’s love story towards our world and each one of us”.

Looking ahead to the year of the Jubilee, the account of the birth of the Lord Jesus, the Archbishop said, "inspires our journey as pilgrims of hope". He added:

“Mary, the Mother of the Lord, never despaired or gave up hope. She put her faith and trust in the Lord. Mary is the timeless example of what it is to follow Jesus. No matter what, to trust, hope and believe that God is with us in everything. That we are never abandoned or alone".

Archbishop John said we must all actively put "our hope in the Lord Jesus, turning to Him in prayer, in adoration and in living out his commands".

This is achieved, Archbishop John said, "by coming to Him in prayer and in adoration of his Eucharistic presence, by reading the Gospels and praying the rosary. My brothers and sisters, seek out and deepen your friendship with the Lord Jesus”.

In a call for people to turn to the Lord Jesus in Eucharistic adoration, the Archbishop said prayer is "the most active expression of our love and hope".

And there is no more hopeful and active prayer than when we place ourselves before the Blessed Sacrament, the Real Presence of Jesus. Our Lord Jesus told His disciples to remain with Him, and keep watch with Him. This is what He invited us – me and you – to do. To stay with Him in prayer".

As part of his encouragement to make Eucharistic adoration a core feature of our prayer life in the coming year, the Archbishop said “seek the Lord Jesus each day in prayer and, as often as you can in Eucharistic adoration. Pray for peace within yourself, for peace in our world, with the hope of Christ in your hearts”.

The Archbishop also highlighted the decade high number of adults being received into the Catholic Church in Southwark as a sign of great hope. But there is still more to do, he said, as we seek to follow the command of the Lord to make disciples of all nations, the Archbishop said: “this is wonderful news, but we can do more to grow as a community of missionary disciples.

“So, our work on Called to Bear Fruit – the process for renewal in our Archdiocese – will continue. This can only happen by putting our hope in the Lord Jesus. The Prophet Isaiah tells us the Messiah – the Lord Jesus – is the root of Jesse and from Him we will bear fruit. When quoting Isaiah, St Paul explained that it is in the Lord Jesus that the people all nations will find hope”.

Concluding his message, the Archbishop said:

“Please be sure of my prayers for you and your families and loved ones. And please pray for me. I wish you a holy and blessed Christmas. May God, Emmanuel, be with you. May God renew and strengthen your hope. And may God bless you, and those your love, and our world, with peace in the year to come”.

You can watch the full message on our YouTube channel or read the message in full below.

Archbishop John Wilson’s 2024 Christmas message

Dear friends,

As I began to reflect on the year gone-by, I was hit, sadly, with a sense of ‘haven’t we been here before’. Just like the year before, the world seems so troubled, so divided.

The conflict in the Holy Land is ongoing. The conflict in Ukraine is ongoing. The conflict in Sudan is ongoing. Unfortunately, this is not an exhaustive list. The need for peace in countries experiencing war and violence is vital.

We know too there are attacks on the dignity of life at home, through the proposed legalisation of assisted suicide. And so many people in our communities face poverty and inequality.

In a world that seems so divided, it can be easy to lose hope; even to lose faith.

But in times of darkness, in times of pain, in times of division, instead of giving into the temptation of losing hope we must turn to our one, great living hope - the Lord Jesus. In Him, and in His message of Good News, we see the possibility of a different and better world. In Him we have the hope of forgiveness and eternal life.

This is what the truth of Christmas is all about. It’s a story of hope triumphing over darkness. It is the story of our salvation. It’s God’s love story towards our world and each one of us.

On a cold night in Bethlehem, our hope arrived in the form of a tiny baby, a new-born Prince of Peace, a king of love.

God became man for us. A Saviour was born for out of love: love of you, love of me, and love for our world.

This love in action fills our hearts us with so much hope. Not just at Christmas, but also for the year ahead.

Next year is a Year of Jubilee for the Catholic Church worldwide. We are called to be pilgrims of hope, to be co-cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. It’s a chance to renew and deepen our faith, our hope and our love, as we journey together as disciples of the Lord Jesus

The account of the birth of the Lord Jesus inspires our journey as pilgrims of hope.

When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Our Lady, she was troubled by the Angel’s message. It can’t have been easy for her when they were turned away at the inn.

But Mary, the Mother of the Lord, never despaired or gave up hope. She put her faith and trust in the Lord.

Mary is the timeless example of what it is to follow Jesus. No matter what, to trust, hope and believe that God is with us in everything. That we are never abandoned or alone. 

This hope, like Our Lady’s resounding yes to God’s plan for her, must be an active one.

This means being active in putting our faith into practice, speaking out for justice and against war, hatred, and poverty, and in defence of human life and all creation.

We need to speak the truth that everyone human life is made in the image and likeness of God. That every human life is to be protected, nourished and nurtured. We must be a people who promote life, not death. 

We need to be active in making the case for peace. The Lord Jesus is the Prince of Peace and we are duty bound to follow his commands and call for peace in our troubled world.

This is all rooted in actively placing our hope in the Lord Jesus, turning to Him in prayer, in adoration and in living out his commands.

Of course, this includes the Lord’s command to make disciples of all nations. In the Archdiocese of Southwark, we are blessed to see the Church growing – with a decade high number of adults joining the Catholic Church.

This is wonderful news, but we can do more to grow as a community of missionary disciples.

So, our work on Called to Bear Fruit – the process for renewal in our Archdiocese – will continue.

This can only happen by putting our hope in the Lord Jesus. The Prophet Isaiah tells us the Messiah – the Lord Jesus – is the root of Jesse and from Him we will bear fruit. When quoting Isaiah, St Paul explained that it is in the Lord Jesus that the people all nations will find hope.

How do we put our hope in the Lord Jesus? By coming to Him in prayer and in adoration of his Eucharistic presence, by reading the Gospels and praying the rosary. My brothers and sisters, seek out and deepen your friendship with the Lord Jesus.

Prayer is the most active expression of our love and hope. And there is no more hopeful and active prayer than when we place ourselves before the Blessed Sacrament, the Real Presence of Jesus. Our Lord Jesus told His disciples to remain with Him, and keep watch with Him. This is what He invited us – me and you – to do. To stay with Him in prayer.

As you spend time in adoration, kneeling before our Lord – truly present in the Eucharist – you will feel your heart fill with peace and hope. Because He is there, waiting for you, yearning for you, just as your heart yearns for Him.

Dear friends, in this coming year, continue to seek the Lord Jesus each day in prayer and, as often as you can in Eucharistic adoration. Pray for peace within yourself, for peace in our world, with the hope of Christ in your hearts.

Please be sure of my prayers for you and your families and loved ones. And please pray for me. I wish you a holy and blessed Christmas. May God, Emmanuel, be with you. May God renew and strengthen your hope. And may God bless you, and those your love, and our world, with peace in the year to come.