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Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary made her way to the tomb. She went alongside other women, carrying spices they had prepared to anoint the body of Jesus. They were ready to faithfully honor Him in death through the sacred burial customs of their people, and wondered among themselves who would roll the stone away. Mary, in particular, carried a deep grief and the weight of a world that seemed to have crushed her spirit. Upon finding an empty tomb, she wept a
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this week, we remember that the greatest gifts in this season are not the ones we can buy or wrap. They are the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that flow from the living presence of God with us. In these holy days, we recenter Christ in Christmas, remembering Jesus is our source, our anchor, and our reason to rejoice.
Jesus still offers us a complete joy that is abundant, resilient, and lasting. It’s not shallow, fake, or dependent on everything in our lives going right. We don’t need to feel happy all the time, nor do we need to express emotions that we don’t honestly have.
