In his Christmas Message, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Right Reverend Dr David Bruce, recalls the time earlier this year when he was asked if he had a theme for his second year in office. On finding out it was ‘Hope’ his inquirer responded, “Hope? Catch yourself on!”

Dr Bruce writes that “At the time, we were living through one of the most hopeless moments in our history…” citing how the pandemic was not going away, businesses were under threat of closure, the health service north and south, were under enormous pressure, and how the big issues facing political leaders in both jurisdictions often appeared to be impossible to resolve – “all this and more”, he says, “might suggest there is no hope for the future. I beg to differ.”

Dr Bruce reminds us that the Christmas story is “saturated with hope” and how hope is the very “essence of Christmas” – from the hope Mary experienced as a young teenage mum through her an unexpected pregnancy, to how the young couple never gave up, or lost their vision for the future on the run from Herod. “Hope kept them going – and they survived, eventually returning home to their village, where their son Jesus would grow up.”

Then as now, for people of faith like Mary and Joseph, the Moderator says that “hope is not mere wishful thinking. Hope is the realistic and gritty trust that promises made by God, will be kept. It strengthens your back, lengthens your stride and lifts your head. It focuses your eye, gives you ears to hear and eyes to see that God has not gone away – even in these exceptionally challenging and uncertain times.”

Dr Bruce concludes his Christmas Message, "At Christmas, it is as if God whispers in our ear – “catch yourself on…” and through this astonishing act of love from Bethlehem, flows all the power that gives us hope for the future. Happy Christmas.”

Full text of the Moderator’s 2021 Christmas Message

“Catch yourself on…There is Hope”

When I started my year as Moderator, I was asked if I had a theme. “Yes”, I said. “My theme is Hope!” “Hope? Catch yourself on” they said. At the time, we were living through one of the most hopeless moments in our history.  Furlough payments were being reduced and would soon end. Businesses were under threat of closure. The pandemic was not going away. People were dying in hospital. The health services, north and south, were under enormous pressure. There was even violence on the streets of Belfast, where buses were burning. hope? Really?

The big issues facing our political leaders might appear to be impossible to resolve. The future of the Northern Ireland Protocol; legacy of the northern troubles; A delicate coalition in Dublin; Managing Covid-19; the challenges to community mental health; the strained relations between governments across all these islands, to say nothing of international tensions, migration and the perennial threat of war – all this and more might suggest there is no hope for the future. I beg to differ.

The Christmas story is saturated with Hope. Mary was a young teenage mum, far from home and uncertain about the future. But she insisted “God has remembered me… he took one good look at me, and see what happened! I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!” Hope transformed a tough time dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, into a deep blessing. Later, to save their baby’s life, the young couple fled their home becoming refugees on the run. But they never gave up, or lost their vision for the future. Hope kept them going – and they survived, eventually returning home to their village, where their son Jesus would grow up.

For people of faith, hope is not mere wishful thinking. Hope is the realistic and gritty trust that promises made by God, will be kept. It strengthens your back, lengthens your stride and lifts your head. It focuses your eye, gives you ears to hear and eyes to see that God has not gone away – even in these exceptionally challenging and uncertain times.

Hope is the essence of Christmas. This year I had the privilege of visiting the Ulster Memorial Tower at Thiepval in northern France. It commemorates the courage and sacrifice of so many thousands who fought and died in the sheer carnage of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Earlier, in that first war-torn Christmas of 1914, it is well known that the guns fell silent and just for a time, British and German soldiers came out of their trenches and met in no-man’s land to exchange gifts, and even play football together.

This informal truce continued for several days. War ceased. Peace reigned. It was miraculous. When we catch ourselves on, and think about what truly matters to God and each other, war can cease – the guns can fall silent, as they largely have in Northern Ireland. God steps in. We catch ourselves on. There is hope.

I love Ireland, in all its parts because it is my home. But I hate our short-sightedness which pushes kids on to the streets to burn buses, and I lament our evident lack of capacity to see common humanity in the ‘other’. At Christmas, it is as if God whispers in our ear – “catch yourself on…” and through this astonishing act of love from Bethlehem, flows all the power that gives us hope for the future. Happy Christmas.

As we prepare to welcome family and friends to our homes - ‘bubbling’ safely within the necessary restrictions - let us be open-handed so that the blessings we have received can be generously shared. As we also remember those who can’t be with us this year, let us remember and celebrate, even in these dark, yet hope-filled days, the birth of the one who is the light of the world.

         Rt Rev Dr David Bruce

         Moderator

        Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Lisburn

County Antrim

16 December 2021