00:00Transcription by CastingWords
00:30CHOIR SINGS
01:00CHOIR SINGS
01:29The Queen and I were delighted to make a state visit to the Vatican,
01:34where we prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity.
01:40Together we celebrated the Jubilee theme, Pilgrims of Hope.
01:44Pilgrimage is a word less used today, but it has particular significance for our modern world, and especially at Christmas.
01:55It is about journeying forward, into the future, while also journeying back to remember the past and learn from its lessons.
02:06We did this during the summer, as we celebrated the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.
02:14The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us as the years pass.
02:23But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.
02:37These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth.
02:43As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.
02:52For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by the ages of the fallen, as the gravestones in our war cemeteries remind us.
03:04The young people who fought and helped save us from defeat in both world wars were often only 18, 19 or 20 years of age.
03:16Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas story.
03:20The holy family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless without proper shelter.
03:28The wise men made a pilgrimage from the east to worship at the cradle of Christ.
03:34And the shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
03:42In each case, they journeyed with others and relied on the companionship and kindness of others.
03:52Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength.
03:57To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are treasured by all the great faiths and provide us with deep wells of hope,
04:11of resilience in the face of adversity, peace through forgiveness,
04:17simply getting to know our neighbors, and by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships.
04:28Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journey may pause to quieten our minds,
04:37in T.S. Eliot's words, at the still point of the turning world, and allow ourselves to renew.
04:47In this, with the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.
04:56It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation,
05:05the way our Lord lived and died.
05:09This year, I have heard so many examples of this, both here and abroad.
05:15These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope,
05:23from our venerable military veterans, to selfless humanitarian workers in this century's most dangerous conflict zones,
05:33to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery,
05:39instinctively placing themselves in harm's way to defend others.
05:48As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common,
05:58a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life.
06:03If we can find time in our journey through life, to think on these virtues,
06:10we can all make the future more hopeful.
06:14Of course, the greatest pilgrimage of all is the journey we celebrate today,
06:21the story of the one who came down to earth from heaven,
06:25whose shelter was a stable,
06:28and who shared his life with the poor and lowly.
06:33It was a pilgrimage with a purpose heralded by angels that there should be peace on earth.
06:42That prayer for peace and reconciliation,
06:47for doing to others as we would have them do to us,
06:51which rang out over the fields near Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago,
06:57still reverberates from there and around the world today.
07:03It is a prayer for our times and our communities too,
07:09as we journey through our lives.
07:13So, with these words and my whole heart,
07:19I wish you all the most peaceful and very happy Christmas.
07:24Let us pray.
07:54Oh, oh, yes!
08:08Oh, yes!
08:11Merry Christmas is here.
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