Christian leaders representing churches and chapels across Wales, have joined together to invite people to pray for peace this Christmas.
The Catholic Archbishop of Cardiff and Bishop of Menevia, Mark O’Toole, the Anglican Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, and the Moderator of the Free Church Council of Wales, Simon Walkling, have issued a joint message acknowledging the tensions and tragedies in the world today, whilst encouraging people to “come to church to find space to reflect and make time to pray for peace this Christmas.”
The news has been full of the terrible tragedy unfolding in Gaza after the awful terrorist attack on Israel. Thousands of children killed in a war they did not choose. It seems a long way from the Christmas adverts here and the pressure to be merry. It is understandable that the church leaders in Jerusalem have invited Christians there to forego any unnecessarily festive activities and stand strong with those facing affliction. They see it as standing in support of those continuing to suffer, just as Jesus did by being born as a baby in Bethlehem two thousand years ago.
Jesus was born in a land occupied by the Romans. He was born away from home because of an imperial census. There were family tensions around Mary being pregnant and Jesus was laid in a feeding trough because there was no room at the inn. Herod killed the boys in Bethlehem to get rid of the threat to his power. All these are part of Christmas, along with our joy at God’s love and the traditions which help us celebrate.
This Christmas we may be aware of tensions in families, and the difficulties of making ends meet. This year we remember the wars in the land of Jesus’ birth, Ukraine and other parts of the world. We also remember that this year was the centenary of the Wales Women’s Peace Appeal which took a petition to America about joining the League of Nations to promote ‘Law not War’. It was a message signed by around 60% of women in Wales and went from home to home and hearth to hearth, showing what the co-ordinated work of ordinary people could achieve.
We need peace in our world. We may want to be free of tension in our families. We may long for five minutes of peace for ourselves in all the Christmas preparations. Why not come to church to find space to reflect and make time to pray for peace this Christmas? We are praying for joy and hope for us all.
Archbishop Mark O’Toole
Archbishop of Cardiff and Bishop of Menevia
Archbishop Andrew John
Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor
Revd Simon Walkling
Moderator of the Free Church Council of Wales
From left to right: Archbishop Andrew John, Archbishop Mark O’Toole and Revd Simon Walkling.
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Mae arweinwyr Cristnogol, yn cynrychioli eglwysi a chapeli ar draws Cymru, yn ymuno i wahodd pobl i weddïo dros heddwch y Nadolig hwn.
Mae Archesgob Anglicanaidd Cymru, Andrew John, Archesgob Catholig Caerdydd ac Esgob Mynyw, Mark O’Toole a Llywydd Cyngor Eglwysi Rhydd Cymru, Simon Walkling, yn cyhoeddi neges ar y cyd sy’n cydnabod y tensiynau a’r trychinebau yn y byd ac yn gwahodd pobl i’r eglwys i fyfyrio a gweddïo dros heddwch.
Mae’r newyddion wedi bod yn llawn o’r trychineb ofnadwy sy’n datblygu yn Gaza ar ôl y cyrch terfysgol arswydus ar Israel. Lladdwyd miloedd o blant mewn rhyfel nad oedd o’u dewis. Mae’n sefyllfa wahanol iawn i’r hysbysebion Nadolig yn ein gwlad ni, a’r pwysau sydd arnom i fod yn llawen. Gellir deall pam y mae arweinwyr yr eglwys yn Jerwsalem wedi gwahodd y Cristnogion yno i hepgor unrhyw weithgareddau Nadoligaidd diangen, a sefyll yn gadarn gyda’r rhai sy’n wynebu cystudd. Mae’n ymgais i sefyll o blaid y rhai sy’n parhau i ddioddef, yn union fel y gwnaeth Iesu trwy gael ei eni yn faban ym Methlehem ddwy fil o flynyddoedd yn ôl.
Ganwyd Iesu mewn gwlad a oedd wedi ei meddiannu gan y Rhufeiniaid. Ni chafodd ei eni gartref oherwydd bod cyfrifiad yn cael ei gynnal. Roedd tensiynau teuluol am fod Mair yn feichiog a rhoddwyd Iesu i orwedd mewn preseb am fod y llety yn llawn. Lladdodd Herod y bechgyn ym Methlehem i gael gwared ar y bygythiad i’w rym. Mae’r pethau hyn i gyd yn rhan o’r Nadolig, ynghyd â’n llawenydd am gariad Duw a’r traddodiadau sy’n ein helpu i ddathlu.
Y Nadolig hwn efallai y byddwn yn ymwybodol o densiynau mewn teuluoedd, a’r anawsterau o gael dau ben llinyn ynghyd. Eleni rydyn ni’n cofio’r rhyfeloedd yn y wlad lle ganwyd Iesu, yn Wcráin ac mewn rhannau eraill o’r byd. Rydyn ni’n cofio hefyd ein bod eleni wedi dathlu canmlwyddiant Apêl Heddwch Menywod Cymru, i gofio am y ddeiseb a gyflwynwyd ganddynt i America ynghylch ymuno â Chynghrair y Cenhedloedd i hyrwyddo ‘Cyfraith nid Rhyfel’. Llofnodwyd y neges gan tua 60% o fenywod Cymru, ar ôl teithio o gartref i gartref ac o aelwyd i aelwyd, a dangos beth mae pobl gyffredin yn gallu ei gyflawni trwy gydweithio â’i gilydd.
Mae angen heddwch yn ein byd. Hwyrach ein bod am ddianc rhag tensiwn ein teuluoedd. Efallai y carem gael pum munud o lonydd i ni’n hunain wrth baratoi at y Nadolig. Beth am ymweld ag eglwys i gael lle i dawelu a myfyrio, a rhoi amser i weddïo dros heddwch y Nadolig hwn? Rydyn ni’n gweddïo am lawenydd a gobaith i ni i gyd.
Archesgob Mark O’Toole
Archesgob Caerdydd ac Esgob Mynyw
Archesgob Andrew John
Archesgob Cymru ac Esgob Bangor
Simon Walkling
Llywydd Cyngor yr Eglwys Rydd o Gymru
