"They made known the message"

The world is sometimes a dark and scary place, where people delight to exercise power over others and at the expense of others.

In the midst of this dark and scary world, the Christian faith offers a message of beautiful light, undefeatable hope, perfect freedom, and eternal truth.

And the first human beings to make known that message, as we hear in this morning's Gospel (Luke 2:15-20) were a handful of poor people from the outskirts of society: shepherds in a small land.

They went in haste
and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.

When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.

All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.

On this Christmas Day, throughout the Christmas season, and all during the new year may you and I make known the message.

Christ is born.

God is with us.

Hope is ours.