All Advent we sang, “O come, O come Emmanuel”. Emmanuel, another word for Jesus, means God with us. Why is this old story of the baby in a manger, shepherds, kings and a bright star still told? How does it all relate to our lives now? Another very old Latin hymn, the Ubi Caritas, declares God is love, and wherever love is, God is also. I’m no theologian, but it seems to me this is why Christmastime is special. This is the one time each year when we celebrate God with us with love– by loving the people around us, and taking a little more time to connect with them, and the world around us, and to concentrate on what’s really important. Love.
