Santa has been seen around the corner. Someone saw him in the shoe store trying on boots. Santa saw little Eddie padding his Christmas list. Santa appears to be everywhere at once as Christmas approaches. He knows who is naughty and nice, we have been told.

We need a little Christmas right this very minute. At times, Christmas signals the prosperity and hope of the year going out the door and the brilliance of the year coming in. Other times, Christmas is surrounded by sorrow and suffering, and it gives us a chance to catch our breath. Santa looks a bit different each Christmas. Bringing succor for the troubled and a chance to think about something different.

The greatest joy is not shared by all. Life brings us terrible curves and deep valleys. As we sit in the Christmas Eve Church Service, the person on your right may be suffering, and the person on the left has experienced terrible loss.

Many experience loss that they will never recover from. The only thing to do is to be a friend and sit with them, and listen.