Religious Leaders Encourage Barbadians to Embrace Hope and Peace Amidst Global Challenges on Christmas Day - SEO-Optimized Article

Religious leaders on Christmas Day urged Barbadians to embrace Christmas as a time of hope and peace in the face of increasing wars across the globe, the rising cost of living, and the climate crisis among other challenges.

Anglican Bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Maxwell told congregants at the St Michael’s Cathedral that many are still searching, longing, praying, and hoping for peace in today’s troubled world that is plagued with several conflicts and wars.

“Even in the land of our Saviour’s birth, where Israel is currently in battle with Hamas and in which to date just over 20,000 Palestinians and just over 1000 Israelis have lost their lives due to a war that just started 2.5 months ago, 21,000 plus lives have been lost. And now of course, we continue to monitor right here in our Caribbean region the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, and pray that this will be resolved peacefully.”

He further expressed concern that many are grappling with the high cost of living, scarce jobs, rising crime and violence, secularism and humanism and the increasing effects of climate change threatening the future.

Bishop Maxwell suggested the heart of the problem lies in the fact that too many people are not at peace with God or with others.

“There are also many hearts that are at war with family members, church members, work colleagues, neighbours and others because they have not let go of the past, have been too caught up with themselves and their self-ego or interests. Or they lack the debt of love to meet the other halfway, or to go the extra mile to reconcile differences and work towards the common good.

“There are also many hearts at war in themselves, restless because they have not opened their hearts to find rest in our Creator God. They have not accepted that they are chosen of God, loved by God, forgiven by God, valued by God and have been given a divine purpose from God that will enable their lives to be fulfilling.

“Jesus, our Lord came into this world to address the problem of the heart and be the means through which our hearts may find and experience peace with God, peace with others and peace in oneself,” he admonished.

Over at Restoration Ministries International Apostle David Durant told the church that Christmas is anything but a time of peace for many who are stressed by unemployment, the high cost of living marital issues and other problems.