The Christmas season is upon us, and amidst the hustle and bustle of this time of year, let’s take this opportunity to remember what this season celebrates. Christmas, Christ’s mass or Christ’s festival, is the celebration of the birth of Jesus that took place a little over 2,000 years ago. Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Israel to common people and grew up in the rural town of Nazareth. He never went to college, never wrote a book, never traveled far from his home and never held a political office. Yet, he changed history resulting in more songs being sung to him, more books being written about him, more art featuring him and more people following him than any other person in history. At his birth, an angel declared, “I bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! It is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem the Savior – yes, the Christ, the Lord – has been born for you.” The Bible tells us Jesus came into this world for 
numerous reasons which include, bringing us joy, giving us eternal life, saving us from our sins, showing us God’s love and dying for us. Here is a modern Christmas song that sings all about this, He Came with Love. While the reason for this season often gets lost, taking some time to ponder what it really is all about can give us a renewed appreciation for what we celebrate on December 25th. Merry Christmas. Erik