Second Sunday of Advent: Love

The Christmas story is compressed into a few pages in New TestamentFor instance, no sooner do the birth announcements arrive than the babies are born- first John and then Jesus• in Luke chapter 2 Jesus is born, and by end of the chapter he’s already twelve years old◦ though the magi are often pictured alongside the shepherds at the stable,◦ when they actually arrived in Bethlehem, Jesus was already two years old• through all the personal and political movement going on during this time,◦ a variety of human emotions surface- shame was a factor and fear was frequently present or assuaged• more than once, someone was troubled, and Herod was furious◦ but there is also joy and rejoicing, and people are blessed• but in all these alternating feelings and emotions, there is no mention of LOVE!- the main characters in the story are husbands and wives, facing challenges together• they were two couples, blessed with miraculous pregnancies and births• and still, there is no mention of LOVE