The message of Christmas is a universal one, regardless of which religion a person belongs to, or even of if they have no religion at all. It has meaning whether one takes the events of Bethlehem literally as I do, (for the record, lest I be flooded with emails of reproof), or simply allegorically. The story contains all the elements of ancient longings that are found in all of humanity.

There is the longing for peace on earth. Every day of the year we are bombarded with news of war and violence taking place somewhere in our broken world. These reports are so commonplace that the danger is that we grow immune to them after a while. Yet when Christmas comes we enter into that magical illusion that for one night, all the world is at peace. While that may not be entirely true, we do come closer to it than any other time of year. Families stop their feuding. Prodigals come home for Christmas. Armies lay aside their fighting. The picture of snow softly falling while strains of Silent Night fill the air is one we all embrace. For brief time we taste what it would be like to live in world without poverty and war; a brotherhood of humanity in which all share their goods with those who have not.

Surely this is a universal longing that ought not be abandoned. The message of the angels of ‘peace on earth, goodwill toward men’ is an ideal for which we must continue to hope. Christmas reminds us all of what we aspire to. The story of the virgin birth also expresses universal longings. We are reminded all year of how far short we fall as a human race. We are capable of greatness and beauty, but also of great cruelty and debauchery.

We need fixing. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could start over as a new kind of humanity, one that is elevated to live in a place of love and enlightenment? Each generation that grows up confirms to us that without intervention, it

not going to happen. Yet...the story of one man

eing born in such an elevated state, appeals to such longings. The virgin birth represents a fresh start for humanity. A new kind of man was born; an unbroken one undamaged by the ravages of selfishness and greed. The good news is that this goodness can be passed on to us all. Christmas reminds us that we can be fixed.

Finally, Christmas affirms to us that we are not alone in the universe. We do not live on a tiny planet in isolation amid the billions of stars and galaxies that surround us. The universe knows of our existence. The energy that created it is intimately involved in the affairs of humanity. This is reflected in the story of Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’. We are surrounded with the divine energy of the Spirit who brings comfort and guidance and help. In Jesus, the universe has demonstrated to us its involvement, love and care for our tiny planet and its inhabitants. Of course I am speaking of God, but so much more than the God we have confined to our religious boxes.

All of this is alot to be put on the shoulders of one tiny baby. Yet it was. Gods ‘government is upon his shoulders’.

All of our dreams and aspirations as humans are fulfilled in this one infant. Somehow, by believing and receiving that and we are born anew into a higher state of existence than would be otherwise possible, and the longings expressed in Christmas seem more attainable than ever before. Do you believe?