As Advent ends and Christmas begins, where have you found your comfort, where has been your hope?
Comfort comes in the story of the nativity, wrapping like a blanket around our confused world as we revel in the familiar story and hopefully welcome the familiar family tomorrow.
The swapping of stories of Christmas past as we look to a new and perhaps a different way of being together for the season.
The introduction of new traditions to go alongside or even replace the old.
The knowledge that the Christmas story has not changed even if our celebrations have.
Hope emerges like a butterfly from its chrysalis - maybe not looking as expected - but beautiful nevertheless.
The baby in the manager, so full of promise, so full of potential. We know that baby’s story ends in crucifixion 33 years later but even that is a source of comfort, of hope, because God loved the world so much that he sent his only son to die for us on the cross so that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life. And crucifixion was followed by the hope that comes with resurrection.
As we look to the future may our comfort be in the love of God and our hope be founded on the Christ child who came to set us free.
As we celebrate Christmas may we, as Ebenezer Scrooge once learnt, honour Christmas in our heart and then try to keep it all the year.
May you have a blessed Christmas and may you
take the Christ child with you wherever you may go
