Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my readers. It's been a particularly harsh winter in Britain so far. Heavy snow has affected most of the country, causing travel chaos for many, many people. Roads, airports, train and other public services have all been severely affected. Normally snow hits my part of the country in January or February, but this year it has come early and with a vengeance. A few people have even died due to the effects of the weather. British people often dream of a white Christmas, but now that it has come and caused so much misery I wonder how many still feel this way!


We have put up the Christmas tree and decorations in our house, and we are eagerly counting down to the big day commemorating Christ's birth. Despite the commercialisation of Christmas in recent times, it is still a wonderful and joyous occasion. What is truly touching for me is that God chose to come into this world in the humblest of circumstances, in a lowly manger in Bethlehem, and lived among us. That shows He does not care for one's position in this world; He loves everyone.


In a dark and troubled world, Jesus offers divine light. This is what St John has to say about that:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world...He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God...And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

Thank God for the Light. Have a great Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.