Lifestyle & Culture
President of Barbados Urges Barbadians to Embrace the Spirit of Christmas Daily
President of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, encourages Barbadians to embrace the Christmas spirit of peace and extend kindness to the less fortunate. Streamlining efforts could help reach more vulnerable individuals.
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Originally published by www.nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
President of Barbados, the Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, is urging Barbadians to live the “spirit of Christmas” every day and be vessels of peace.
Dame Sandra, in her annual Christmas Day message, said there were many examples of this, including some of those who received National Honours and Awards as well as the work of service organisations like the Salvation Army.
“I am aware that there are several corporate partners, social organisations, churches and individual citizens who are committed to the fight to ease the burden of the less fortunate. I am convinced however that if several of these programmes were streamlined we could spread a wider net and assist more vulnerable persons,” Dame Sandra said.
“These acts of kindness and generosity are glimpses of peace, love and joy in action. These acts can diffuse many difficult situations and are signs of hope for several persons.”
The full message:
Fellow Barbadians, residents and visitors to our beautiful country, it is again that special time of the year when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child and pause to reflect on the significance of that phenomenal event to Christians worldwide.
The year 2023 saw the return to some semblance of normalcy following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the previous two years. I believe that we have accepted the fact that after the pandemic our lives can never be the same again. The incidence of COVID-19 has slowed considerably but we are continually being reminded that COVID is still with us.
With the resumption of several activities, we should now have a greater appreciation and awareness for some of the simple things that we took for granted and which we had to forego during the pandemic.
As we celebrate Christmas this year with the usual merriment, energy and enthusiasm we are cognisant of the many tensions, unrest and raging wars in many countries throughout the world. The one in the spotlight is the war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas taking place in Palestine – the birth place of the baby Jesus. In this technological age, we can see the daily bombardment and destruction in the Gaza Strip and the continual loss of lives and displacement of families.
This raises the question of whether there will ever be peace. The reality however, is that there is the utmost need for peace.
Ironically, the essence of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world, the Prince of Peace, who symbolizes the hope, peace, love, joy and forgiveness that the world needed – and still needs today. His life exemplified love and forgiveness as necessary virtues for peaceful living.
