We cannot imagine what the moment must have been like for Mary when she heard from an angel. Here is one artist's admirable effort to portray the wonder. We might well ponder the angels words with Mary as an antidote to our culture's blaring in this last week before Christmas Eve. Remember that  Peter, the disciple of Jesus, wrote a letter to fellow Christians telling them that we are in the world but not of it. Faith speaks a different language using the same words. Christians celebrate Christmas in a world that wants to celebrate it, but cannot really, because Christmas must be celebrated in the heart, not a church, or even Grandma's, and certainly not the mall, but in the heart. Jesus is, of course, the guest of honor, not ourselves, not our family, and certainly not Santa Claus.
           Invite Jesus in. Have a small, quiet party this year without the noise.
 
"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, 'Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.' And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, 'Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.'"
-LUKE 1:26-33 KJV
 
God Knew Our Greatest Need
If our greatest need
had been information,
    God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need
had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need
had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need
had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need
was forgiveness,
so God sent us a Saviour.