Grant Gibbons

Opposition Leader

Early in December, I was fortunate to attend a Christmas vesper service at one of Bermuda's smallest and oldest churches. The tiny church glowed from the light of hundreds of candles, and the simple programme of readings and familiar carols ushered in the holiday season with great beauty and joy.

Afterward, people lingered in the churchyard, reluctant to leave. They smiled and shook hands and embraced as the sound of “Season's Greetings” filled the night air.

The generous spirit and good will of this congregation reminded me again of how very blessed we are to live in Bermuda and to be celebrating this Christmas together.

For some Bermudian families and many others around the world who face sorrow and loss, this will be a difficult Christmas. And with memories of September's tragedy still fresh in our minds and images of war confronting us every day, this holiday season is bittersweet for all of us.

The good news of Christmas-God's gift of hope, joy and peace on earth-is a welcome message indeed.

Fortunately, the spirit of Christmas does not begin and end on a single day in December. In response to the recent tragedy, the family of man has acted with enormous compassion, generosity and courage, and our communities-local and global-are stronger for it.

We have seen schoolchildren collect pennies for Afghan orphans and Ground Zero workers who just won't quit. We have seen scholarship funds established to honour the victims. Through these examples, we see how a small act of caring can make a big difference.

Over the years, the same commitment to helping and serving others has made Bermuda what it is today: a wonderful place to live with a quality of life second to none. We enjoy the peace and prosperity that other countries wish for.

But peace and prosperity are not bestowed upon us like a Christmas gift. During World War II, the American Bishop Fulton John Sheen said: “Peace is not a passive but an active virtue. Our Lord never said, ‘Blessed are the peaceful,' but ‘Blessed are the peacemakers'.”

Peace and prosperity require nurturing and tending and, once achieved, constant vigilance. Indifference will do the most damage to the blessings we Bermudians too often take for granted.

I encourage everyone to give the gift of themselves this holiday season. It can be as simple as a smile. Bestow it upon someone you don't know, and be surprised when the spirit of that smile is returned in kind. It can be volunteering for a charity or playing for a team or singing in a choir. It can be speaking out on important public issues. Call it giving back. Call it getting involved. Whatever you call it, it will be your gift-a priceless gift-to your community and your country.

On behalf of my colleagues in the United Bermuda Party and my family, I extend best wishes to each and every one of you for a happy and safe holiday season and a prosperous and healthy New Year.