“Tis the season to be jolly,” goes a popular song. But for many people this season produces as much sadness as it does jollity. These days often remind people of the rifts that exist in families or accent a sense of loneliness. Even the long darkness of the northern hemisphere can produce a sense of depression. While the “season” might promote being jolly, the story of the birth of Jesus does not. It describes a young couple being plagued by an oppressive government, inadequate housing, refugees being driven away from their homeland, children killed by a cruel dictator. Underneath the Christmas story is not merriment but hope — hope that in the birth of this child, every child will have a life full of love.
