By James Amoh Junior
Accra, Dec. 24, 2024 (GNA) – The Most Reverend Dr. Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa (CPWA), has called on Christians and people of goodwill around the world to embrace the message of peace, unity, and selfless service as encapsulated in the birth of Jesus Christ.
Delivering his 2024 Christmas message on the theme: “Immanuel; God with Us,” the Primate, also the Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana, underscored the transformative power of Christ’s light and its relevance to a world grappling with crises.
In his address, the Primate highlighted the essence of Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is revered as the “Prince of Peace.”
Referencing 1 John 5:4, he emphasised the victory of the cross as the heritage of Christians.
“At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ. He is the ‘true light that gives light to everyone.’ He is our Saviour. He is the Prince of Peace,” he stated.
The Archbishop expressed gratitude for the growth within the Anglican Communion, particularly in West Africa, citing the creation of two new dioceses and the consecration of bishops as milestones.
He extended warm greetings and prayers to the faithful and congratulated all Anglican churches for their commitment to spreading the Gospel.
Reflecting on Ghana’s peaceful 2024 elections, Dr. Ben-Smith attributed the stability to divine intervention and the selflessness of leaders.
“The peaceful election in Ghana has been a gift from the Prince of Peace, as things could have easily gone wrong but for the selfless example of some of our leaders,” he noted.
Archbishop Ben-Smith further recognized the relative peace enjoyed across West Africa, including nations like Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon, and The Gambia, as evidence of God’s faithfulness.
As the world faces challenges such as economic turbulence, wars, and conflicts in regions like the Sahel, the Middle East, Ukraine, and Syria, the Archbishop urged all to be messengers of peace.
“Let us spread the message of peace throughout the Sahel, from war-ravaged regions to Israel, Syria, Russia, and Ukraine, and across all war-torn areas,” he appealed.
Archbishop Ben-Smith called on Christians to embrace acts of selflessness and respect for God’s gift of Christ.
He prayed for the grace to cleanse hearts and minds to receive the blessings of the season.
“May The Christ Child lead us to discover the peace that the world is looking for through acts of selfless service and respect for God’s gift to us in the birth of His Son,” he said.
GNA