Words of hope, love and the Uluru Statement of the Heart have dominated the Christmas messages released by the nation's religious leaders today.
The Uniting Church's president, Reverend Sharon Hollis, took time out of her statement to raise awareness for the referendum for the Voice to Parliament.
"Christmas reminds us that Christ enters into the darkest of places, shining the light of God in the world and in our lives," she said.
"Soon, as a nation, we will be invited to shine light into the darkness of our colonial past and present."
The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, shared his aspirations for the church to see more worshippers in the new year.
Christianity and Catholicism saw a slump in Australia followers from 52 per cent of the population in 2016, to 43 per cent in the latest Census.
"Why not visit a church near you or simply open the Bible to read for yourself what Jesus has to say?" Archbishop Raffel asked.
Archbishop Peter Comensoli from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne called on humanity to prevail in war-torn countries across the world.
"He has created us to be for eternally, lovingly caring, generous, forgiving and hopeful," Archbishop Comensoli said.
"The Son of God is walking through the streets of Ukraine and Myanmar, Ethiopia and Lebanon, with feet bloodied from war, conflict and repression, yet still taking the steps needed towards peace and liberation."
His Sydney counterpart, Archbishop Anthony Fisher, also hoped for a brighter 2023, after the chaos of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"Amidst fragile recovery from pandemic and rising cost of living, how do we deal with anxiety and uncertainty?" he asked.
"At Christmas, God comes to us as a newborn baby, the most vulnerable of creatures, and as a homeless family like those who have lost everything in our riverlands or in Ukraine.
"Hope permits flood, war, economic challenge. This hope is named Christmas and it can overcome the bleakest challenges."
Sydney's Wesley Mission's Reverend Stu Cameron reflected on the way Australia has pulled together through hardships in 2022.
"It has been in the darkest of times, this past year, that we have seen the strength of communities across Australia. We’ve seen everyday people doing extraordinary things," Rev Cameron said.
"And they didn’t do it just once, but time and time again. When asked why they put themselves at risk, they often answered simply and directly with: 'It’s what you do.'
"It’s this kind of love, this kind of compassion, this kind of care that crosses the street, that crosses floodwaters, that breaks down barriers — that is at the heart of Christmas."
