As Christmas approaches, watch Bishop Ward’s video this fourth week of Advent.
“Now the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ took place in this way.” Matthew begins his telling of the Christmas story with this wonderful sentence.
God does have a particular way of reaching out to embrace the world, and at Christmas we celebrate God’s love, born anew to us in the birth of Jesus Christ.
As we live in the light of a fully lit Advent candle, we anticipate the fullness of God’s grace and peace and love and power upon us.
We give thanks for every sign and symbol of this holy season, bright stars in the sky, singing angels, kneeling shepherds, wise ones bringing gifts. We kneel as well, and give thanks to God, that God’s wisdom confounds us still, that we call this Holy day a great miracle, and celebrate it with full hearts of joy and love.
As Christmas comes, may your hearts abound in the fulfillment of hope, in the perfection of peace, in the abundance of joy and in God’s fullest embrace of love.