“Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man’s hat.
If you haven’t got a ha’penny then God bless you”
(In USA substitute Quarter and dime!)… so the jingle goes.
Here we are awaiting expectantly for the greatest gift of all, God’s merciful Word made Flesh. He is the Emmanuel, the God who is with us. Think about that for a moment. The God of all tenderness and compassion is with us. Unlike many religions ours is a religion based on an intimate relationship with God rather than a distant or austere one. His intimacy with us starts with his creative love for us. In the collect for the Tuesday of Advent week three we hear of ourselves described as the “handiwork of God’s mercy”.
We are created out of mercy in the first place and to ensure that we understand our intimate relationship with God, He sent his Son to be mercy incarnate and teach us the way of mercy and continues his merciful presence amongst us in the Holy Spirit of mercy. Our Trintarian God who is all love interfaces with us from inception to fulfillment through his mercy. This is the community we must be, a Trintarian community of love expressed through mercy This is our task for the year ahead. Meanwhile let us all approach the Christmas Festivities full of joy, fun and hope.
May God bless you and your families and loved ones this Christmastide
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter
