Hope of light: Bishops' messages as we face a time of tragedy and struggle

Right Reverend Mark Davies, head of the town’s Catholic community, said his thoughts were with friends and family of Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Hugo Morris, 18, all from Shrewsbury, who were involved in an accident when their car left the road in North Wales.

In his Christmas message, he said he was struck at how the community came together in the hours after the tragedy last month to light candles.

He says: “Amid the darkest shadows of our lives, we seek light; and when words fail, we find ourselves standing silent and watchful as those who kept vigil on the first Christmas night.”

Bishop Mark speaks of the need to grieve the boys. He recalls how the Christmas lights switch-on was rightly cancelled as a mark of respect.

But he remembers how people in the town gathered to light candles as they sought to find light in the despair they collectively faced.

The messages given by bishops in the region also speak of global conflicts as well as the of the ongoing cost of living crisis, but also of the blessings of God and Jesus and the reminder of being strong in dark times.

Each bishop has also addressed their own personal feelings about the current struggles of the time and how they have addressed God’s love over this period of time.

And they look ahead to 2024, with the wish that we all experience a better year ahead.

The bishops within the Diocese of Lichfield, Hereford and Worcester have given their best wishes to everyone and spoken of their hopes for everybody to have a happy and safe Christmas.

Read the bishops' full messages below:

Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury Mark Davies

"This Christmas many in Shrewsbury are remembering the four young men who died so tragically last month, together with all who mourn the loss of loved ones at this moment in the year,” he says.

As a mark of respect in the face of so great a loss, it was surely appropriate for the town to postpone the switching on of Christmas lights. Yet, I was struck that the most immediate response was for people to light candles in the town’s churches and public square.

In the face of death, we come together to pray and remember and in the hope which those gentle flames expressed. Amid the darkest shadows of our lives, we seek light; and when words fail, we find ourselves standing silent and watchful as those who kept vigil on the first Christmas night.

If the light of the Christmas celebration appears far removed from our experience of human loss, then it is worth remembering the Christmas story unfolded amid the dark shadows of a family who found themselves destitute and who quickly faced the homicidal threats of an earthly ruler and forced to become refugees in a strange land.

The Gospel declares that this was how Jesus Christ came to be born. Yet, as Saint John would later reflect, ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it’.

In the darkness moments the light of Christ’s birth continues to shine, and this light will be unfailingly reflected in so many celebrations this Christmas.

As attention turns to the little town of Bethlehem, we cannot fail to remember those who have suffered grievous loss in the land of Christ’s birth and across an increasingly troubled world. The Christmas message of ‘Peace on Earth’ may seem to find little echo amid so much hatred, discord and violence.

Yet, Christmas invites us, amid the darkest shadows of time, to re-light the flames of faith, hope and love for all around us and to reflect the gentle, radiant light which came into our world when a Child was born for us all."

Bishop of Shrewsbury Sarah Bullock

"This Christmas our world feels fragile. War in Europe and in Israel/Palestine, the cost of living crisis leaving many people struggling to live a life that feels secure and positive, public sector workers striking, climate change causing lasting impact across the world and personal, family and community tragedies being faced by many.

Into all of this we hear these words of hope: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

These words are from the beginning of the Gospel of John and will be read out in millions of carol services across our world this Christmas and which bring hope to a waiting and often weary world.

The light of the birth of Jesus, in a stable in Bethlehem, more than 2000 years ago, reveals God to us.

A light that cannot be overcome, a light to shine in the darkness of our world, showing us all that God is – a God of hope and love for the world.

And the light of Jesus Christ can be seen in all our communities.

It is in those who care for the sick, for those who are experiencing poverty, homelessness and hunger, who ensure that all children have access to education, who care for the old and infirm, who run our public services. It is in those who, this Christmas, will ensure that people have company and a warm meal on Christmas Day, who will visit a neighbour or speak words of comfort to one who has lost someone close to their heart. This Christmas, may you know the light, love, peace, comfort and blessing of God."

Bishop of Hereford Richard Jackson

"In court, juries are usually suspicious if all the witnesses produce the same story. They have to weigh up the accounts alongside the barrister’s arguments to decide where the truth lies. In most situations it is remarkable how diverse people’s perceptions of events can be. How can two different people experience the same thing and come to such different conclusions about what has gone on?” he says.

But such variation can add to the credibility of a story. The Christmas story in the Bible is a classic example of this. The events are examined from a variety of different angles. Different witnesses provided the source material for the Gospel writers to distil their accounts. We have the angle of the shepherds, wise men, and probably Mary and Joseph themselves as they relayed it to others. Alongside that we have the first commentators trying to make sense of it all, seeing connections with ancient writings that seemed to predict the whole thing hundreds of years previously. In the centre of the story is Mary, a teenage peasant girl, who finds herself inexplicably pregnant.

Her response to her experience shows us what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The angel gives her the sketchiest outline of what is about to happen and the personal implications. Her response is, ‘may it be unto me as you have said’. She is confronted with the reality of God. She cannot deny her experience. Her answer is, “yes, now what is the question?” For the great heroes of Christian faith this is a repeating pattern throughout the Bible.

You could describe it as a leap in the dark but is not done without knowledge. We Christians are just responding to something we passionately believe to be true in a verifiable historical sense.

As a teenager I had enough evidence in the lives of Christians I met, and in the intellectual arguments to make the leap myself. I have never regretted it. I know where my sense of meaning, and purpose comes from.

The story of Jesus,’ life death and resurrection is not intended to be taken as a fairy tale or a metaphor to explain deeper truths. It is a story of a life in history that changes the world and can change us if we let him."

Bishop of Worcester Dr John Inge

" 'It came upon the midnight clear. That glorious song of old.'

The carol goes on to tell us the song to which it’s referring: “Peace on earth, goodwill to men from heaven’s all gracious King.”

But it’s words from verse three which seem particularly apt at the moment: “And man at war with man, hears not the love song which they bring. Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing!”

There is so much war, so much distress in our world currently – in Ukraine, in the Holy Land, in Sudan and elsewhere. What a terrible state we’re in. So can we hush the noise and hear the love song that the angels bring? My hope and prayer is that this Christmas, we will be able to let the message of peace fill our hearts and hear the song of the angels and the words of the Prince of Peace.

We need to follow him and remind ourselves that if there is to be peace on Earth, it must begin with us. I pray that Jesus’ message of peace will reach deep into all our hearts so that we become peacemakers and peace givers.

And may your hearts also be filled with hope that this Prince of Peace will one day come again in glory, and peace shall indeed reign over all the earth and over all creation."