Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat. Or so the saying goes. How are your preparations coming along for the celebration of the birth of Jesus? Certainly if you have children there will be a gathering excitement and expectation of receiving presents and a looking forward to some family celebrations. But in all the busyness of buying presents, decorating the tree, getting in enough shopping for the holiday season and a hundred other things let us spare a thought about why we are celebrating Christmas at all.
It is because over the centuries we have recognised the contribution that Jesus made to humanity in leaving us his teaching and his example of what it means to be a true child of God. His message of love and forgiveness had stood the test of time.
In the life of Nelson Mandela who died this week we all recognise a life which has been a reflection of Jesus' teaching to love and forgive even our enemies. As Nelson Mandela unites those from all sections of society and from all corners of the world we are again reminded of how powerful the teaching of forgiveness is.
Happy Christmas, and Happy Birthday Jesus.
