'Writer's speech 'too Christian' for carol service';  'Shopkeepers silence choir of little angels'. These are the kind of newspaper headlines which sadden and incense me, especially when the latter headline was about a primary school choir that had been asked to stop singing carols in a shopping centre by a security man who eventually called in the police!

In both instances, the reason was given as 'not to offend' !!!! 'Offend whom?' I ask. I know some of other faiths who, far from being offended, expect Christian symbols and speech from Christians, especially on Christian festivals.

It feels as though political correctness is sometimes taken too far!

As we approach Christmas, I thank God that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as Emmanuel - God with us - and as such we can remember that he is the Light of the World - making a difference in the lives of individuals as well as in situations which can seem hopeless from a human point of view.

No matter how much political correctness there is, the true meaning of the baby born in Bethlehem as God's love who came down to earth in human form will continue to transform lives.

When the shepherds came and worshipped that baby, they returned to their flocks with a spiritual vision that changed their lives. Like the shepherds, we are invited to come to the crib and let our eyes and minds roam free as we ponder in prayer the mystery and manner of Jesus' birth. All our hopes and longings can find fulfilment in this child.

God has come close; his kingdom of peace, justice and forgiveness has burst onto the human scene. He is immersed in the bits and pieces of everyday life - of our every day lives. God in Jesus becomes one with us, accepting us as we are and loving us without any merit on our part. It is no accident that when he came into our broken world, he identified himself with the poor, the weak, the suffering, the powerless and those on the margins of society. These are the people who remind us of the reverence and respect due to each person simply as human beings. Their suffering challenges us to be generous, to break down the walls of prejudice and to show them the love of God made manifest in the Christ child.

The gospel says: 'He came to what was his own and his own people did not accept him' - in other words he got a bad reception. We may well ask ourselves has the situation changed and is it any better now? Are we giving God in Jesus Christ a hearing? Only when Christ is born in our hearts can we reach out to bring life and love to others.

Tony and Kit join me in wishing you all a very peace-filled and joyous Christmas.

With warm greetings

                           Angela