The Archbishop of York has reminded people of the new song given to
all people through the birth of Jesus Christ in his Christmas sermon.
Dr John Sentamu reminded believers that they are redeemed men and
women with faith in Christ, and can therefore be confident of their
future in the plan of God.
He urged believers to draw the downtrodden and hurting into the circle of God’s love.
He said: “With joy in our response to God's message of
deliverance let us leave the Minster this morning in a pure state,
confident of our future in God's plan.
“And then go and be God's new song: to the parents of Madeline
McCann, Claudia Lawrence; the downtrodden of Zimbabwe; the children and
women brutalised in Eastern Congo, and Darfur; the people who are losing
their lives violently through suicide bombings in Afghanistan and Iraq;
prisoners of conscience; Israel and Palestine; our armed forces; the
children in our own country who suffer at the hands of those who should
care for them; those who have lost their jobs, savings, pensions, homes,
due to the credit crunch, the economic downturn and the outworking of
the cuts in public expenditure; the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the
house-bound, and the suffering in our world.”
Earlier this week, Dr Sentamu posted a Christmas message on YouTube asking people to remember the important things at Christmas.
“Let us never forget that what is most important is having time for other people,” he said.
“We fill our lives with so many trivial things that we often fail to value what is important. Remember Christmas is not ‘Stress-mas’! Take things slower and appreciate what God has given you.”
SIC: CT/UK