In the midst of the seasonal busyness it is all too easy to find yourself a bit grumpy and tired and wondering why we do all this work to celebrate the birth of boy born all those years ago, after all isn’t Christ with us always and aren’t we always expected to honour and worship him?

And then I see the delight in the faces of people as they gather around a Christmas meal, or sing together a familiar carol, or watch a child open a present. The look of wonder, the sheer delight, reminds me that in the midst of the hard things that life dishes up we need to be reminded of the Joy. The Joy that comes to us in the Christ child, the Joy of the celebration. Sometimes it is this Joy that will hold us through the tough times in the year to come, sometimes it is this Joy that can help us overcome our animosity towards others and reach out in love and forgiveness. I pray that in the midst of the sweltering heat,the frustrating preparations, you will find the Joy anew in your life and that you will be reminded of the Joy as the new year unfolds.

May the God of Joy bless you and your family this Christmas.