What would your Christmas message be as we head towards 2024?

What would your Christmas message be as we head towards 2024?

Note: I originally wrote and published this article on the run up to Christmas in 2016. Reflecting on it again today, it occurred to me that my personal message this Christmas would be exactly the same.

Every year on Christmas day, a broadcast is made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations. This custom began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by King George V. Since 1952 Queen Elizabeth II has been addressing the Commonwealth by television, radio, and the Internet.

Last year 10.7M people in the UK alone watched the King’s first Christmas message on television. He said:

“While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light overcoming darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief.

So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I believe we can find hope for the future.“

What if?

Imagine if you were given the gift of being able to speak to the entire world on Christmas day. What would you would say to countless people listening attentively to you?

My speech

I would say this:

‘We need peace, harmony and love’

It seems to me that I arrived on the planet at the most advanced and fortunate time in history. I’m sure every generation says the same thing.

We have seen many great challenges and the improvements of the last 50 years alone are extraordinary.

– In 1969 we travelled nearly 240,000 miles to the moon in 4 days.

– Today, we have the personal computer, mobile phone, satellites, and the internet.

– In 1982 we kept a human being alive for 112 days with an artificial heart.

– Science and technology aside, in 1963 we saw the greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of the United States . It was through Reverend Martin Luther King Jr’s. “March on Washington”.

It’s hard to believe that human beings were still campaigning for freedom in the short time I’ve been alive.

– Apartheid only came to a definitive end in 1994. South African people of all races were able to vote for the first time in a national election.

– The Berlin wall fell in 1989.

– Survival for those affected by cancer has doubled in the last 50 years.

Generally speaking, in some parts of the world we have:

– Bigger salaries

– Better working conditions,

– Phenomenal medical care

– Better education

– Sanitation systems our ancestors would have cherished

I’d like to emphasise the words ‘some parts of the world’. Countless people in many parts of the world have not seen such advances and are still living in poverty and despair.

The world has changed in remarkable ways over the last few decades. Many would argue that there has never been a better time to be alive.

The truth

– The world health organisation estimates that 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression.

– Latest reports from the World Bank tell us that there are still some 800 million people living in extreme property.

– Authors of the 10th annual Global Peace Index believe that the world has never been a less peaceful place. With only 10 countries which can be considered completely free from conflict.

– The World Bank suggests that one fifth of the world’s population are affected by some form of violence.

– Where I live in the UK, the latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) are staggering. It’s estimated that there were 6.5million crimes in England and Wales alone in the year ending June 2016.

– For all of our scientific and technological advancements we are still killing each other.

– Despite our incredible achievements, there is still too much hate and malice in the name of politics, religion and our personal beliefs.

– We are still stealing from each other, competing intensely against each other and turning our backs on those most in need of our help.

When will it change?

Intellectually, I know it will never stop. Sadly, things seem to be getting worse rather than better.

Emotionally and spiritually I pray that one day soon, we may all live in love.

Space travel, exploring the depths of our oceans, building tall buildings and changing the face of our world means nothing without love.

My Christmas message to the world is simple, it’s a plea.

Each time we look at another person or even think about them, here’s what I would like us to see.

Someone who was born through love, has been loved, is love and will one day return to love.

Our job is not to kill, harm and steal from each other it’s to help each other.

We need peace, harmony and love

Wishing you a Christmas filled with love.

Maurice x

PS. I wrote this back in 2016. As we now rapidly approach 2024 the whole world has been tragically affected by a devasting pandemic and countless innocent souls have lost and continue to lose their lives in the catastrophe of war.

If now is not the time for peace, harmony and love, when will that time be?

Please feel free to share your personal Christmas Message.

Image courtesy of Canva.com