Toongabbie Anglican Church Blog

Weekly Blurb It’s the season to be jolly, tra–la–la–la

It’s the season to be jolly, tra–la–la–la

Sunday 22 December, 2002 · Posted by Philip Bassett

I find myself at Christmas time in two minds over the idea of the festive season. On the one hand it is the season when we celebrate the birth of Jesus and as the angel said, "I bring you glad tidings of great joy for to you is born a Saviour who is Christ the Lord."

But I also find it is a time that for many people it is difficult to be jolly. Perhaps they've lost a loved one during this last year. Or someone dear to them is seriously ill now. Perhaps they got the dreaded pink slip instead of a Christmas bonus. Or times when the family gathers are just times for more arguing, fighting or bitterness.

The message of Christmas is not the a message of universal jolliness. It is not a message even of world wide peace. But it is a message of real joy that into our troubled world, into our troubled lives, God the Father has sent his Son, to be one of us, to live among us, to die for us and to rise again to give us the hope of glory.

I pray that whatever your circumstances this Christmas, be they happy or sad, you will be able to see beyond the tinsel and glitter of the "Festive Season" to the deep love of our Heavenly Father who sent his Son for us, and to know his joy and his peace.

Sandra, Robyn, Neil, Margaret and I wish to thank you all for your many kind expressions of thanks and good will to us this Christmas.

May the Lord bless you all.

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