Dec. 28, 2025 - You Are Not Alone

We've made it past the first day of Christmas, but the celebration is far from over. While most of us don't celebrate our own birthdays for twelve days straight, when it comes to Jesus, twelve days might not even be enough time to fully embrace the magnitude of what happened in that humble manger.

There's something beautifully exhausting about the Christmas season. The parties, the preparations, the celebrations—they leave us with what might be called an "energy hangover." Yet as we catch our breath and reflect on what we've been celebrating, we're invited to consider something profound: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

The Weight of the Incarnation
Imagine being Mary and Joseph for a moment. Not only were they raising a newborn with all the sleepless nights and constant needs that entails, but they were also raising God incarnate. The hope of all mankind rested in their arms, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Talk about pressure.

We get to celebrate Jesus's arrival, contemplate what it means, and marvel at the mystery—all without the responsibility of changing God's diapers. Mary and Joseph bore that unique burden, living daily with the holy mystery that we now reflect upon from a distance of over two thousand years.

Three Transformative Truths
The letter to the Hebrews offers us three powerful insights into what the incarnation means for our lives today.

First, in Christ, God became like one of us.

This isn't a small thing. Jesus wasn't born fully grown, appearing as an adult ready to teach and preach. He entered the world the same way each of us did—through a human mother, helpless and dependent. He experienced childhood, learned things, navigated the awkwardness of teenage years, and faced the same developmental challenges we all face.

Later, when Jesus proclaimed in his hometown synagogue that the scriptures were being fulfilled in their hearing, he was rejected by the very people who knew him best—those who had watched him grow up. And yet, despite knowing he would experience both the best and worst of humanity, Jesus chose to be with us.

Think about that for a moment. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew the rejection, the betrayal, the suffering. He knew that humans can be rough and tumble, that we get things spectacularly wrong even when we mean well. And still, he wanted to spend a lifetime with us, to experience who we are and how we function.

That decision alone speaks volumes about our worth in God's eyes.

Second, God is with us in our suffering.
The scripture tells us that "because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested." Jesus didn't just observe human suffering from a divine distance. He lived it. He experienced the same problems we face, felt the same pains, knew the same struggles.

This creates a profound connection between Christ and us. Through Jesus, all things came into being, and through his suffering, our suffering connects with his in unique ways. He's right there with us in moments of hurt, in times of trial, when we don't know what we're going to do next.

And here's the beautiful part: he's also with us in times of celebration.

Whether we feel that presence or not, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, Christ is here with us. That's a miracle worth pondering.

This doesn't mean that people of faith will be free from suffering. We won't be spared from adversity or hardship. Life doesn't work that way. But what we have instead is infinitely better: God right there with us in the midst of all those things. There is nothing—absolutely nothing—that can separate us from the love of God.

When we hurt, we can actually draw closer to God in ways we never thought possible. Not because God wants us to suffer, but because God finds ways to bring redemptive things out of spaces of hurt. Jesus understands our pain because he experienced it himself. Our hurt becomes God's hurt.

Third, we are freed from the fear of death.
This might be the hardest truth to fully embrace, yet it's central to why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Jesus conquered death, but for that victory to happen, there first had to be birth. There had to be life—loving, redemptive life present within each of us.

In spite of our ugliness, our failings, our brokenness, God came and said, "I love you." That's why we celebrate Christmas.

Living the Miracle
The celebration of Christmas is a celebration full of miracles and good news. It's full of things we could never imagine or experience on our own without Christ present in our lives. This Word made flesh is the greatest gift any of us will ever receive.

This gift allows us to know that God became one of us, experiences things like us, draws close to us when we're at our most vulnerable, and puts us at ease when we're facing something beyond our understanding. And God does all of this purely out of love for each of us.

That's something worth celebrating—not just for twelve days, but for a lifetime.

Moving Forward in Wonder
As we move through this season, having spent considerable time preparing for Jesus to be here, let's think about what the birth of this child means for us personally. What does it mean that love came down at Christmas? That love decided to change the world? That love brought new life into this world?

Just as Mary pondered so much in her heart, we're invited to ponder these things—not in isolation, but with each other. We can speak to one another about the ways God has changed us for the better, share the ways God has shown us better paths forward, and reflect together on the transformative power of divine love.

The incarnation isn't just a historical event we commemorate once a year. It's an ongoing reality that shapes how we understand God, ourselves, and our purpose in the world. In celebrating Christmas, we're not just remembering what happened; we're embracing what continues to happen as Christ works in and through us.

May we carry this love into the world, sharing it with all we meet, knowing that with God's love, the best is always yet to come.