Vicar’s Message

Dearly beloved in Christ,

Greetings in the name of the Triune God.

We celebrate this year’s Christmas once again in a context of complexities and uncertainties. The pandemic has affected life in its entirety, including that of the Church. Yet, as in every crisis, we also witness tremendous opportunities to live out the gospel amid the pain and struggles of the suffering masses. Christmas invites us to open our eyes afresh in seeking and serving the Saviour of the world. It reminds us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the midst of many complexities.

Firstly, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was born to liberate people from corrupt structures and to restore them to the wholeness of life. In the Gospel of St. Luke 2:1–14, we see how the angels announced the good news first to the shepherds—those who were outsiders, despised, and considered unclean in society. Yet God chose them to receive the good news, showing grace, favour, and compassion to those on the margins, giving them dignity and space to live life in fullness. Though Jesus Himself was not given a place to lay His head, He lived and sacrificed His life to make room for the rejected and despised. As the body of Christ, the Church is called to embrace the refugees, the marginalized, and the forgotten, offering them a space to live as human beings created in the image of God.

Secondly, in the midst of hopelessness, uncertainty, and turmoil experienced by refugees and the vulnerable, God assures us of His shalom—to establish justice, peace, and equality.

Thirdly, the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, transforms the rejected and despised into the very announcers and channels of peace. In these times, when the pandemic and other challenges have highlighted the importance of creating “space”—whether in private or public life—it is all the more urgent for the Church to be a channel of both space and peace.

May this Christmas bring joy, peace, and hope into our hearts and homes. May it strengthen us to embrace the revolutionary legacy of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and inspire us to live out His mission in the world.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year.

In Christ,


Rev. John Mathew


Vicar,Bethel Mar Thoma Church,Bedford