Merry Christmas 2025

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. John 1:1-5

One of the most beautiful sights of Christmas is light shining in darkness: the Christmas tree lighting up a dark room; Christmas decorations on houses shining brilliant colors into the street; the candles of Christmas Eve illumining a dark church as the congregation sings “Silent Night.” The familiar Christmas story in Luke’s gospel that we hear each Christmas Eve tells us that a heavenly host of angels lit up the night sky to proclaim the good news of Christ’s birth. And the Christmas story that opens John’s gospel, above, begins with the proclamation that Christ’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Our world today is full of darkness. From gun violence to fears of immigrants who seek a new life but may not be allowed to find it here, to people living without homes, to continued conflict in our country and in our world, human beings suffer in our world. I hear many people expressing fear about our future and about whether the stable, prosperous world in which many of us grew up can survive.

Christmas comes to remind us that light shines in the darkness. Christmas is a gift, not a gift tied up in red bows and tinsel, but an everlasting gift of God’s love to us. Christmas tells us that God has come into the world as a small, poor, vulnerable infant who will live and die as one of us. Christmas tells us that God’s love was so great that the poor and vulnerable infant would grow up and give his life for the love of humankind. Christmas tells us that Christ’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The light of Christmas shines all over our diocese. In so many ways, our people light up this world through worship, evangelism, and service. I see the light of Christmas in many congregations that serve the hungry and those without homes. The light of Christmas shines through diocesan organizations like Episcopal Community Services, which is preparing to open a new 50-bed facility to house those who struggle with substance abuse and homelessness. It shines through Community of Light, our migrant shelter in Tijuana; through our Faith Accompaniment project for migrants at the courthouse; and through our many other ministries with migrants and refugees. It shines in each congregation that celebrates the coming of Christ this Christmas. It shines in the ways we share God’s love with others and proclaim the God of love and peace. In Christ’s name, Episcopalians in our diocese shine God’s light every day.

This Christmas Day, I pray that the light of Christ shines in each of our hearts, and that as the people of Christ, we may always shine that light into this dark world, transforming it with God’s love.

Blessed Christmas,

Bishop Susan Brown Snook