As the angels sing ‘Glory to God in the Highest’.
The little one can’t read yet so shepherds do look like people living in a paddock. It is wonderful that she knows already how special is Jesus. The Christmas story reaches everyone. All generations are covered. All cultures too. We have at home Nativity sets from every continent, culturally distinct yet each drawing us to focus on the Christ - child in the manger. When we had a family party recently, a musical son played banjo and we all sang: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of”... Jesus is God’s invitation to the world to live in love together: One human family, gifted with life, together on a tiny planet in a vast universe of divine creation. A child can grasp that to love one another in the way and spirit of Jesus, is the deepest truth. St John conveyed it, having long pondered what he had seen: “God is love and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them”. (1 John1:16). As we gather for Christmas, we know how much love is needed to give many people healing and hope. Along with the Carols and the Christmas Bowl on your table at Christmas, maybe you might also like to sing together “what the world needs now is love, sweet love”... Christmas joy and peace, Bishop Philip Huggins, President |
Our son was listening at a distance as his four year old daughter told the Christmas Story to another four year old, using a picture book.(NB. In the Western Church, Christmas is celebrated on 25 December2018.
Most Orthodox Churches will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity on 7 January 2019.)
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