Merry Christmas!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

*Mark 2: 1-20*

I also feel great hope whenever I read this passage. It reminds me that there is good in the world, hope, and love. It also, to me, is a reminder of what it means to be a Christian. In his life, Christ reached out to the downtrodden, appearing first to lowly shepherds, taking on fishermen as disciples, and healing lepers. He kept company with the more unsavory elements of society: tax collectors, harlots, and collaborators with the Romans. I suppose if Jesus were here today, that would be a gay man, a single mother, and a drug addict. Jesus was a radical- he shook up the way society thought about G-- and the individuals relationship with H--. And his basic message was love. A point that sadly, I feel, is lost on many Christians today.

And the point too, is to not just keep this spirit and message only around the holidays, but all year long. And Christ's message is not one that is limited to Christianity; it has resonance for all faiths and religions worldwide- do unto others as you would have them do unto you; Love thy neighbor and enemy as you would love yourself; No greater love hath man than to lay down his life for a friend- all were preached by Christ, and all, have been echoed in other religions, preceding and following Christianity.

So with much love, faith, and hope, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas :)