All the Advent candles have been lit, and at the center of our wreath the Christ light burns -- as it has throughout Advent, since Christ is with us even as we wait to celebrate the anniversary of the birth.
And the babe is in the manger in our nativity scenes, and lion and the lamb watch over him, along with camels, donkeys, oxen, shepherds, kings, and a whole chorus of angels.

I am grateful this evening for recovery from a bout of flu in time for today's trip out to Pittsburgh, for a safe and easy trip, for time with family here, and especially for the Christmas Eve service at the small Unitarian-Universalist congregation where my son-in-law is director of worship music. We sang Christmas carols, heard Luke's telling of the Christmas story alongside a reading of the Beatitudes and the Great Commandment, with the reminder that the story is not just that of the babe in the manger but the grown Jesus' call to action on behalf of the poor and marginalized. And we passed the light from candle to candle in celebration of the Light that has come into the world and of the spark of divine light that is in each of us.

May your candle flame burn brightly this Christmas!