December 24 | Waiting for Hope | O Come, O Come Emmanuel | Barry Rodriguez

The birth of Jesus came at a time when the people of Israel were facing many struggles. Roman occupation, economic challenges, violent uprisings, and moral drift contributed to a loss of hope and perspective. This was especially true since the long-awaited restoration of Israel’s national glory still hadn’t happened yet, over 500 years after the second temple was completed. But there were two devout, elderly people in Jerusalem who still clung tightly to the hope that God’s messiah would not only rescue Jerusalem, but the entire world.