Volume 40 Number 4

Dear Friends,

Yes it’s almost here. Christmas! How are you feeling? It has been tough lately. The banks, the financial markets, mortgages, employment, need I go on? Now there is the expense of Christmas. The children still are bombarded with ideas for presents, we all need to eat and at this time of year we want it to be special. How will we cope?

 

How can we cope? What will we do with the debts as we go into a new year? A new year with so many questions for each of us, a new year with so many unanswered questions. It’s going to be tough.

Yes it’s not going to be easy. However let us not concentrate on ourselves. What about the families who are mourning at this time after the carnage of Mumbai? Also we remember those suffering in Zimbabwe from cholera, 90% unemployment and no food in the shops. Then there are those who have lost so much financially as markets have plummeted.

There are those experiencing difficulties of this nature for the first time and those to whom this is just another hurdle to navigate.

Let us also remember all who are homeless or have the fear being homeless as repossessions soar and those who are  out in the cold on these bitter nights. Then there are those parted from loved ones, working away, in the forces and in prison or those who this year find themselves on their own for the first time through family break-up or death of a loved one.

Let us not forget either those refugees in many countries of the world who like Mary, Joseph and Jesus have had to flee their homes, neighbourhoods and countries.

As we see the tinsel, hear the laughter, decorate the house, put lights on the tree, open the presents, eat the food, let us remember how it really began. No room at the Inn; a cold stable; a flight to avoid death.

Let us remind ourselves and those in need that Jesus goes before us. He has had the struggles to go through, is mindful of the fear and greed of others who would kill him to preserve their own existence and at times had nowhere to lay his head.

Yet He is still there to love us, to care for us, to take our burdens on His shoulders, to bring us peace.

Let us share that with all in need and where we can, let us go out this Christmas and do what Jesus did. Let us be among the hungry, the cold, the dispossessed bringing light and hope and peace. Let us remember ‘forasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of my brethren you have done it unto me’, and those of us who cannot be supporting others  hysically, let us hold them in our prayers.

Have a meaningful Christmas.  May God richly bless you.  Graham