We enter into this Advent season with the expectation of rebirth. Jesus arrives in a most unconventional manner: Mary bearing down in the hay of a stable, with Joseph acting as a midwife.
And, so, the great exchange. When you find yourself in sorrow or shame; in sickness or pain; when you feel the pain of a stranger whose face is on the news; when you worry about coming storms or anticipate loss; acknowledge what it is you feel.
Much of what gives my life meaning is being with friends, journeying together to fight against the evils of our world, not with magic, but with the power of faith in God.