THE Archbishop of Wales has said that "love is the world’s most powerful weapon" which is the theme of his Christmas message.
The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon John Davies delivered his Christmas message on Saturday nearly four months after he was chosen to replace Reverend Dr Barry Morgan as the new leader of the Church in Wales.
Opening his message, the archbishop said: "Whether we are ordinary or influential, rich or poor, Christ calls us all to show loving concern for those around us."
During his message, the archbishop referred to the Gospels of St Luke and Matthew to draw on the comparison between the shepherds and the wise men.
The shepherds - normal people who earned very little and with no influence or power, who were the first to be told about Jesus’ birth and their contrast with the wise men - men who brought expensive gifts and were considered to be of substance and influence, who "fell down and worshipped Jesus".
Bishop John Davies, who was enthroned earlier in December concluded his comparison by saying that "Jesus has something important to say" to both ordinary people and people with influence and power.
He said: "Whether it’s Luke’s shepherds or Matthew’s kings, these lovely stories contain messages of truth, namely that the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, the man into whom the child of Bethlehem was to grow, is a pattern for ordinary people and a pattern for powerful people."
The message continued that regardless of who we are, we are all called to show loving concern for the billions of people in need both in our communities and internationally.
He emphasised that "loving concern" should meet people who are living in daily need and despair including - from what he described as an "endless list" - the homeless, refugees, victims of war and poverty, persecution and prejudice, starvation and lack of opportunity.
The Southampton University graduate said: "Love - real, blood-red love - is the most powerful weapon the world has, and Jesus shows how it should be used and must be used for the sake of the world he was born to renew".
The bishop said that Jesus has a "very clear message" for those who have responsibility for leading and governing the world’s societies which is that power should be exercised within that loving concern.
He finished his message by saying the "loving concern" needs to be remembered in a split society where the call to only be concerned for ourselves "seems to get louder and louder."
Bishop John Davies’ message ties in with his first Christmas service as the archbishop which he will be delivering at Brecon Cathedral on Christmas Day morning.
In one excerpt of the sermon, he said: "The need is for what Jesus says to be heard even more clearly by us and those who can change things, and for hearing to be transformed into giving voice and exploring ways to committed action that is hopeful, realistic, and just, even if it costs."
Anybody is welcome to the service at 11am in Brecon. The full sermon will be available to read on the Church in Wales website after the service.