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Verga United Methodist Church

ALL ARE WELCOME!

One of the questions everyone asks at Christmas is “Are you ready for Christmas?” To me the question is not about if I bought all the presents and wrote all the cards. It’s not about whether I finished the decorations and decided on the Christmas menu. It goes beyond the preparation for “perfect Christmas in the 21stcentury term. The question really is have I prepared a room to receive the gift of Jesus in my heart. Are we ready for Christmas and the birth of Jesus?

 I often think of main characters in the nativity story. Were they ready for the first Christmas? A happy bride-to-be was visited by an angel proclaiming that she was pregnant with Jesus Christ. An excited groom-to-be dreaming of the wedding day finds out that his fiancé is pregnant. A pregnant mother was forced to travel by the authorities and gave birth to a baby and laid him in a manger. The shepherds were suddenly visited by the angels and then hurried to see the baby Jesus. Were they ready for Christmas? They don’t seem to be ready to have a “perfect Christmas” in the 21stcentury term.

 However, their hearts seem to be more than ready to receive the gift of Jesus. They are willing to accept the unexpected plan of God that changed their plans. They let God work through them, and eagerly awaited the birth of Jesus with joyful hearts. They were certainly ready for Christmas.

 Advent gives us the opportunity to prepare our hearts to receive the gift of Jesus. While you are busy being ready for the “perfect Christmas,” from time to time check the state of your soul and ask yourself “Am I ready for Christmas?” While you’re shopping, while you’re writing cards, wrapping the presents, putting the ornaments on the Christmas tree, and sitting by the fire place quietly, have a little talk with Jesus. Even at the most unexpected and inconvenient moment, make a space in your heart, which will become a birth place of Jesus.

 May you truly be ready for Christ in this Advent and Christmas season!

Your servant in Jesus Christ,
Pastor Joyce Mooney