Love is the one word most people associate with Advent. When God/Source first created humans, they lived with God in the garden and love was all they knew. It was the character and nature of God and of his human creation. But there came a time when the humans used their free will to separate themselves from this love and fear entered the world. Over the years, this fear increased, and people forgot how much God/Source loved them, they forgot they were all from the same source. People started seeing each other as the enemy and wars broke out.
God then sent Jesus to remind humankind that God still loved them, that they were created to be love and extend love to each other, that love is a better way to live than fear. For this reason, I celebrate Christmas as it reminds me of how grateful I am to Jesus, the message he taught and lived. As you look around the world and see the hatred, divisiveness, separation and fear, allow the Christ spirit within you to shine brightly through the darkness, to cast out fear, to offer forgiveness and to show kindness to both friends and enemies. Love is the greatest force on the planet, the most underutilized force, and the solution to every problem. Some people may have a difficult time accepting or receiving your love but love them anyway. Not just at Christmas, but all year through.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8