We approach Christmas with a very mixed bag of emotions:

Excitement - we may have family coming whom we haven’t seen for a while; letters and cards (and perhaps even presents) begin to arrive; and different things happen at home and at Church to build up a sense of excitement.

Stress - there always seems to be a lot to do, and sometimes we end up running around try to fit everything in.

Sadness - that the message of the angels, ‘Peace on earth and good will to all people’, has not been fulfilled, and that there are still wars, murders, and all sorts of dreadful things happening in the world.

Generosity - especially in this country we have a very good tradition of generous giving at Christmas time (and at other times of the year as well).  Quite rightly, we want to remember those who are less fortunate than we are, and the charities know this and bombard us with requests for donations!

Compassion - for those who will be sad or alone at Christmas; those who will be separated from those they love; those who find Christmas a difficult time for various reasons; and all who feel excluded from the joy of the season.

So, we come to sing Christmas carols, to worship the new-born King, to celebrate the Incarnation of the God of all time and space in human form, bringing with us all that we are, all that we experience, and all our emotions - and God receives us and welcomes us as we, with all the mixture of thoughts and feelings that we have.

I hope you all have a very happy Advent and Christmas, and a blessed start to 2006.