During this year's Royal Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth referred to Jesus Christ as the "guiding light" of her life and said His witness helps us to see the value of doing small things with great love.
According to a report from the Daily Record, the 90-year-old Queen's annual address, which aired on both the BBC and ITV , was the most-watched program on the day for the second year running with over 8 million viewers.
In her videotaped speech, released on Christmas Day, Queen Elizabeth said, "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," said the Queen. "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 traveled far," she continued. "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."
She concluded: "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."
Elizabeth II, the longest-ruling monarch in British history, is the Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. She is also the Head of the Commonwealth of 12 formerly British colonies, including Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize and Saint Kitts. She did not attend church on Christmas Day for the first time in nearly 30 years, as she is still suffering from a heavy cold, according to a Buckingham Palace spokesman.
Last year, the Queen used her speech to draw attention to the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide. She pointed out, however, that such "moments of darkness" should not be reasons to become hopeless, for "the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope... 'Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.'"
Elizabeth also said that there is no better time than Christmas to be thankful for people who give hope to others. "Millions of people are lighting candles of hope in our world today. "Christmas is a good time to be thankful for them and for all that bring light to our lives."
