Queen Elizabeth: ‘Christ’s Example Helps Me See the Value of Doing Small Things With Great Love’
(CNSNew.com) - Queen Elizabeth delivered a Christmas address in 2016 in which she talked about some of the things she had learned from the examples of St. Teresa of Calcutta and Jesus Christ.
“I often draw strength,” said the Queen, “from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.
“They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa, from this year Saint Teresa of Calcutta,” the Queens said. “She once said: ‘Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love’.
Then the Queen talked of Jesus Christ.
“Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far,” she said.
“He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong,” she said. “And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives.
“I am one of them,” she said, “because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.”
Here is the full text of Queen Elizabeth’s 2016 Christmas Address:
Queen Elizabeth: “There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so few of them. But the 67 medals at this year’s Games in Rio and 147 at the Paralympics meant that the GB medallists’ reception at Buckingham Palace was a crowded and happy event.
“Throughout the Commonwealth there were equally joyful celebrations. Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand won more medals per head of population than any other countries.
“Many of this year’s winners spoke of being inspired by athletes of previous generations. Inspiration fed their aspiration; and having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others.
“A few months ago, I saw inspiration of a different kind when I opened the new Cambridge base of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where Prince William works as a helicopter pilot. It was not hard to be moved by the dedication of the highly skilled doctors, paramedics and crew, who are called out on average five times a day.
“But to be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.
“They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa, from this year Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She once said: ‘Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love’.
“This has been the experience of two remarkable organisations, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Prince’s Trust, which are 60 and 40 years old this year. These started as small initiatives but have grown beyond any expectations, and continue to transform young people’s lives.
“To mark my 90th birthday, volunteers and supporters of the six hundred charities of which I have been patron came to a lunch in the Mall. Many of these organisations are modest in size but inspire me with the work they do.
“From giving friendship and support to our veterans, the elderly or the bereaved; to championing music and dance; providing animal welfare; or protecting our fields and forests, their selfless devotion and generosity of spirit is an example to us all.
“When people face a challenge they sometimes talk about taking a deep breath to find courage or strength. In fact, the word ‘inspire’ literally means ‘to breathe in’. But even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help. On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.
“At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby some two thousand years ago. It was the humblest of beginnings, and his parents, Joseph and Mary, did not think they were important.
“Jesus Christ lived obscurely for most of his life, and never travelled far. He was maligned and rejected by many, though he had done no wrong. And yet, billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them because Christ’s example helps me see the value of doing small things with great love, whoever does them and whatever they themselves believe.
“The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.
“I wish you all a very happy Christmas.”
Queen Elizabeth: ‘Jesus–a Man Whose Teachings…Have Been the Bedrock of My Faith’
(CNSNews.com) - Queen Elizabeth, who delivered a Christmas message to the British people every year, said in her last Christmas message this past December (eight months after her husband, Prince Philip, had died) that the teachings of Jesus Christ had been “the bedrock of my faith.”
“And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year,” Queen Elizabeth said in that address.
“They teach us all a lesson–just as the Christmas story does–that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential,” she said.
“It is this simplicity of the Christmas story,” she said, “that makes it so universally appealing, simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus–a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith.
“His birth marked a new beginning,” said the Queen.
Here is the full text of Queen Elizabeth’s 2021 Christmas Address:
“Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones.
“This year, especially, I understand why.
“But for me, in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, the Commonwealth and the world.
“His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible.
“That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.
“But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings – and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.
“We felt his presence as we, like millions around the world, readied ourselves for Christmas.
“While Covid again means we can’t celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions.
“Be it the singing of carols – as long as the tune is well known – decorating the tree, giving and receiving presents, or watching a favourite film where we already know the ending, it’s no surprise that families so often treasure their Christmas routines.
“We see our own children and their families embrace the roles, traditions and values that mean so much to us, as these are passed from one generation to the next, sometimes being updated for changing times.
“I see it in my own family and it is a source of great happiness.
“Prince Philip was always mindful of this sense of passing the baton.
“That’s why he created The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which offers young people throughout the Commonwealth and beyond the chance of exploration and adventure.
“It remains an astonishing success, grounded in his faith in the future.
“He was also an early champion of taking seriously our stewardship of the environment, and I am proud beyond words that his pioneering work has been taken on and magnified by our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William–admirably supported by Camilla and Catherine–most recently at the COP climate change summit in Glasgow.
Next summer, we look forward to the Commonwealth “Games.
“The baton is currently travelling the length and breadth of the Commonwealth, heading towards Birmingham, a beacon of hope on its journey.
“It will be a chance to celebrate the achievements of athletes and the coming-together of like-minded nations.
“And February, just six weeks from now, will see the start of my Platinum Jubilee year, which I hope will be an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness, a chance to give thanks for the enormous changes of the last 70 years – social, scientific and cultural – and also to look ahead with confidence.
I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children.
“It’s an engaging truth, but only half the story.
“Perhaps it’s truer to say that Christmas can speak to the child within us all.
“Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not.
“And for me and my family, even with one familiar laugh missing this year, there will be joy in Christmas, as we have the chance to reminisce, and see anew the wonder of the festive season through the eyes of our young children, of whom we were delighted to welcome four more this year.
“They teach us all a lesson–just as the Christmas story does–that in the birth of a child, there is a new dawn with endless potential.
“It is this simplicity of the Christmas story that makes it so universally appealing, simple happenings that formed the starting point of the life of Jesus – a man whose teachings have been handed down from generation to generation, and have been the bedrock of my faith.
“His birth marked a new beginning.
“As the carol says: ‘The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.’
“I wish you all a very happy Christmas.”
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