Rejoice! God is with us!

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day BCP 212)

For most of us this year, it has been the little thing getting us through. The days in the sun, laughing at bad jokes and memes, dreaming up shenanigans with friends. Everywhere we look there are frustrations and restrictions threatening to depress and defeat us. Thankfully, our yearly festival of Jesus' birth comes around again. While it will not look like it has in years past, it is still a reason to rejoice. 

In all our struggles and humanity, God comes to us. This is no little thing. This is one of the resounding truths of our God. God is with us through every struggle. No matter how hard, how frustrating, how devastating, God is in the midst of it with us. We celebrate this week Jesus' coming into the world as a baby. God sends Jesus to be a human as a gift of salvation. We celebrate the true love God has for all of God's people, for each of us. 

God with us, 'Emmanuel' is not just a little thing to help us get through this tough year. This is a big thing, a thing to celebrate, even if you're all by yourself. Nothing is greater in this world than God's love for us, as Jesus shows over and over again, throughout his life and ours. Rejoice! God is with us! Rejoice, the world is made new! Rejoice! Love surrounds us! Rejoice, the Son is born! Rejoice!