大象传媒

Good morning

Christmas Day 1983 was bright and sunny, with a little skiff of snow on the ground. I was 9 years old, and my wish had come true. I had a brand new red bike with turned down handlebars. Clearly it was now my destiny to win the Tour de France.

The family walk after dinner didn鈥檛 last long. 5 minutes from the front door, a little piece of glass on the pavement quite literally deflated my Christmas joy.聽 We got the puncture fixed, but two days later I smashed my glasses by falling haplessly like a human brick 鈥� over the beautiful turned down handlebars 鈥� which were now bent beyond recognition.聽 Neither that bike nor that Christmas were living up to my hopes.

Christmas can be disappointing for any of us when expectations haven鈥檛 been聽 fulfilled.聽 There can be a feeling of anticlimax when life returns to normal shortly afterwards.

It can all seem a bit temporary.聽 But the values and truths of Christmas are not temporary and they don鈥檛 depend on our expectations, moods or disappointments,

John in his Gospel says 鈥渢he Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, full of grace and truth鈥澛犅犅� Grace and truth will remain as will the love that made Christmas possible, long after the festivities and traditions have gone.

Lord, Open our eyes to your grace, truth and love this Christmas, so that we, like shepherds and wise men, may respond with hearts of worship.

Amen