Bishop Michael Curry on the real message of Christmas
It's been a big year for Most Rev. Michael Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. He first made headlines in May when he delivered a rousing sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and earlier this month he spoke at the funeral for former President George H.W. Bush.
Bishop Curry told "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King that the real message of Christmas isn't just about giving, it's about love.
"Hold on to it, 'cause it's all we got. The truth is, if love is just a sentiment then it doesn't matter. But love is a commitment and one of the passages that speaks about Christmas is John 3:16. It speaks about the crucifixion of Jesus but it also speaks about Christmas, 'God so loved the world that he gave his only son.' It is love which is tied to giving, not taking. Giving. We give gifts as a symbolic way of reminding us that God showed us the way of love, which is to give and not to count the cost."
"The real opposite of love is selfishness. Love is the opposite of self-centeredness and self-centeredness is the most destructive force in human relationships and political ones. Love is the antidote, love is the cure, love is the way."
Asked how to do that in such a polarized world, Curry said you've got to make a commitment to it.
"If I'm a member of Congress I'm going to live in the most loving way possible and I'm going to look for legislation that is about loving the neighbor, that is not about my self-interest but about the common good. That is what love looks like in political relationships in economic arrangements, in business, in commerce and in daily life. And that kind of unselfish sacrificial love is a game changer in all sorts of life."
To hear why Bishop Curry is still nervous about speaking in public, watch the video in the player above.
