Well, He still comes into a crowded world. It was crowded then, but it’s more crowded now. We lead such busy, jostling, cluttered lives – and they’re even more so at Christmas. We come home loaded with bundles of gifts of love for others, but we get impatient and blow our horns at the cars ahead of us. Hardly time enough to buy a tree, we frantically wrap the last of the packages just moments before we’re to tear them open – so we can rush off to somewhere else and back again exhausted.

Here we are at Christmas again – hoping to hear the angels singing, needing a star to follow, really wanting to kneel at a manger. We mean to adore Him with Mary, we do believe with Joseph. We want to worship with the shepherds, our hearts long to rejoice with the wise men – but somehow there isn’t any time.

It is into just such a world the angels come again and again to sing these eloquent, life-giving words – “Jesus is born, Jesus is born.”

Just as those words came and changed a barn filled with cows and straw into a shrine, a hillside dotted with sheep and shepherds into a cathedral, a sky filled with stars into a message from the Father – so they come to you, as old as eternity – as fresh as the morning – as simple as a baby – as majestic as a psalm – warm as a mother’s arms – mighty as God Himself – Jesus is born…Jesus is born.

All of the celebrations of our Christmases begin at a manger with Him.

We say “Merry Christmas” because He is our joy and our happiness.

We say “Goodwill to men” because He is our peace and our pardon.

We say “Good tidings of great joy” because He is our announcement and our proclamation.

We say “Good cheer” because He is our hope and our confidence.

We say “Emmanuel” because He is with us.

We sing “Glory to God” because His light blesses us.

All of the rituals of our lives: Christmas, Thanksgiving, commencements, birthdays, funerals, and weddings, are inexorably tied to the Christmas message: “Jesus is Born, Jesus is born.”

The light shined in the darkness and it still shines, and shines, and shines. And when our lights flicker and die – when those with whom we have long celebrated are gone – when we can no longer share needs or exchange gifts, or sing songs – it will still be Christmas because Jesus is Born, Jesus is born!