The Gathering

They gathered that night in the church to praise his name.

The child who was born of a virgin, Mary, was his mother’s name.

Songs were sung to glorify the Father for sending his only Son, who had been born many years earlier.

They told the story of the child in a manger and of a star that led the three wise men to bring gifts to honor the baby born of a virgin Mary.

Voices rang with joy that night as they proclaimed the birth of the little boy and how all of heaven rejoiced.

Mary would raise him as her son and call him Jesus, the name that God had chosen.

But she knew, inside, that she was looking upon the Christ, who was sent to save the world from all its sin.

The singing stopped, and we bowed our heads to thank God above.

My heart welled up with sadness because I knew that Jesus had been born to die for all of us.

Tears rolled down my face as I walked away from the church that night, and I knew in my heart from that moment on I would never forget what Christmas was really all about.

God bless us, everyone, and have a Happy New Year!