A video Christmas Message from Bishop Lanette
Grace and peace to you in this holy season of Christmas! As we gather to celebrate the birth of our Savior, I’m reminded of the profound truth that Christmas is not merely a moment in history—it is a living, breathing reality that we are invited to embody each and every day.
The Gospel of John tells us, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). This is the heart of Christmas. It’s the radical mystery of God becoming human, of light breaking into darkness, and of love taking on flesh and bone to walk among us.
So, what does it mean for us today, 2,000 years after that first Christmas night, to embody the gift of Christmas?
It means that we, as disciples of Christ, are called to reflect God’s light and incarnational love into the world as we seek to be a bearers of that same hope, compassion, and peace that came into the world through Jesus.
If ever there was a time when our world needed hope, it is now. Many of us feel the weight of uncertainty—whether it’s the personal burdens we carry, the divisions we see in our communities, or the global challenges that seem overwhelming. Yet, Christmas reminds us that hope doesn’t come from perfect circumstances. It comes from the presence of God with us in the midst of it all.
To embody the gift of Christmas is to be people of hope. Hope is not passive. It is not wishful thinking. It is an active trust that God is at work, even when we cannot see it. It is trusting that the light of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it. This hope propels us forward, urging us to stand in solidarity with those who suffer, to work for justice where there is oppression, and to speak words of encouragement and peace in times of despair.
The story of Christmas is also a story of profound compassion. God saw the suffering of humanity and did not remain distant but entered into it. God took on our flesh, our struggles, our pain. Jesus came as Emmanuel—God with us—and this “with-ness” is central to our faith.
We are called to embody this gift by showing up in the lives of others. Christmas invites us to be present to those around us, to listen deeply, and to offer love in tangible ways. Compassion means more than feeling empathy—it means acting in love. It means seeing the person who is lonely, grieving, or marginalized and extending the grace and mercy of Christ through our presence, our prayers, and our actions.
To embody Christmas is to build bridges where there is division, to offer forgiveness where there is brokenness, and to be a light for those who feel surrounded by darkness. This is how we make the love of God visible in our communities, our families, and our world.
The story of Christmas is also one of peace. The angels proclaimed peace on earth the night Jesus was born. Yet we know that true peace—shalom—is not simply the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice, wholeness, and right relationships. The Prince of Peace calls us not just to receive peace but to become peacemakers.
In this season of celebrating the Prince of Peace, we are reminded that Christ’s peace is inextricably tied to justice. To embody Christmas is to work for justice where there is injustice, to seek reconciliation where there is brokenness, and to pursue right relationships where there is division. This is not easy work, but it is the work of the Gospel.
We know that God’s heart breaks for the oppressed, the marginalized, and those who are left behind. To embody the gift of Christmas means committing ourselves to this same mission—to stand with the vulnerable, to speak up against systems of inequality, and to work for the kind of justice that restores dignity and lifts up the lowly. It means engaging in the hard but holy work of reconciliation in a world that so often thrives on division.
We cannot claim to be peacemakers if we are not also justice-makers. Christ’s birth is a declaration that God is with us—all of us. And this declaration calls us to be builders of a world where all people are treated with dignity, where reconciliation is sought across divides, and where the peace we proclaim is one that transforms both hearts and systems.
This Christmas, I invite us to reflect: How are we embodying the peace and justice of Christ? Where are we called to be agents of compassion, reconciliation, and healing in our communities, in our churches, and in our families? And who, in our lives, needs to hear a message of hope and light that comes through Jesus Christ?
Friends, Christmas is more than a story we tell; it is the way we live out our faith. The gift of Christmas is not something we simply receive—it is something we are called to live out. The gift of Christmas is, at its core, the gift of God’s love incarnate—God’s presence among us. Christ came to dwell among us, and now we are invited to carry Christ’s love into every corner of the world to reflect this incarnational love in our lives. Just as Jesus came into a world in need of hope, healing, and peace, we too are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, embodying hope, compassion, justice, and peace in all that we do.
As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us remember that the miracle of the Incarnation is ongoing. Christ is born in us each day when we choose to love, when we choose to serve, and when we choose to be the presence of God’s grace in a world that desperately needs it.
May this Christmas be more than a season of celebration. May it be a season of transformation—a time when we recommit ourselves to living as Christ’s people, embodying the gift of God’s love in every moment, every relationship, and every act of justice and reconciliation.
May the peace, hope, and joy of Christ be with you this Christmas and always.
Merry Christmas, and may God bless each of you as you continue to live out the love of Christ in the Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area.
Amen.
