Dear John,

For forty years I’ve lectured and written about universal spiritual themes at the heart of all the great religious and spiritual traditions of the world. My work has centered on the practical application of such themes to the issues that confront us in our daily lives.

This has led me to a deep appreciation of the meaning of the religious holidays. Regardless of someone’s religious affiliation or lack of one, such holidays carry psychological and emotional significance for anyone seeking a deeper experience of life. Particularly at Christmas and Hanukkah, it’s relevant for anyone to ask ourselves, “Is it possible that there is a light so bright that it can cast out the darkness of the world?”

My search for ways to apply deeper spiritual understanding to the affairs of the world led me ultimately to political activism, even a race for the Presidency. And my path is not unique; it’s nothing new for those seeking a world of greater justice to be guided by their faith. The early Abolitionist movement emerged largely from the early evangelical churches in New Hampshire; many of the Women Suffragist leaders were religious Quakers; and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist preacher. Faith is God is faith in love, and to take seriously that we are here to love one another — to pursue justice, to believe a better world is possible despite the darkness of the world — applies to politics as much as to anything else.

My faith in a power greater than my own is the force that guides my life. This campaign has been a difficult task, and not a day goes by that I’m not challenged to practice what I have preached for years. Can I forgive? Can I have faith in what’s possible? Can I love even those who do not love me? And perhaps most importantly of all, do I believe the small still voice within that leads me to believe that this is my best way to serve?

This Christmas and Hanukkah, I am focused on my faith that miracles happen. I hope you too are feeling hope and inspiration as we wrap up this year, and you're looking forward to infinite possibilities in the year ahead. Your support has been a guiding light in my own life this year, and I pray we will continue to work together to bring forth a new beginning, a new chapter of life, to our beloved country.

I thank you, I bless you, and I send you all my love.