[Transcript of video]

Christmas Day - Messengers of Good News!

But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah,[a] the Lord. 

Sometimes in my prayers, I pray for those waiting for news. 

Many of us know what it is like to wait for news that could be difficult or hard to bear. 

Receiving good news also has an impact. We don’t think so much about that. 

We get the good news that we have our dream job. 

We are delighted, and it also means some changes – perhaps learning to work with a new team or even move location.

We get the good news that the treatment worked, and we are going to be just fine. 

We make a commitment to ourselves 

to change our eating habits, exercise more, 

be more mindful of the blessings we experience in each day. 

Imagine the impact of the this good news on Mary and Joseph, on the shepherds, perhaps on the innkeeper or others who witnessed the events of the birth of the Christ child. The messengers of Good News, the angels proclaiming that the Messiah has been born. 

For Mary and Joseph, at the very least, they are now parents, responsible for protecting and shaping this new life. The ministry of Jesus only began after years of their love and care. 

Perhaps some of the shepherds started to think differently about their own faith, or their own status in society. After all, they were the first ones to hear and then share the good news of the Messiah’s birth. 

So what is our response to this good news? 

Just as we are often delighted to share other good news we receive, we are called to be the messengers of this good news. 

That we are blessed to know that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. 

That we are blessed to be called children of God. 

That we are blessed with the good news of God’s unconditional love for each one of us. 

We know this, because from Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, down through the ages, other people have been impacted by this good news and have been faithful messengers to pass it on. 

Now it is over to us, to me and to you. 

So may you feel blessed by the good News this Christmas and pass it on.