The children of Aleppo have stopped crying. 
The silence of their cries is deafening. 
Only to be broken by the sounds of war.
My heart is breaking.

Where is this life eternal for which John speaks of? 

Yes, there are many who question their faith and who don’t believe. But can we blame them? Can we blame them when another war has broken out? Can we blame them when death not life appears to have the last word? Can we blame them when hatred and evil are running rampant in the world? Can we blame them when the children no longer cry? 

Again, where is this life eternal for which John speaks of? 

This Advent, I am weary, friends; weary for Aleppo; weary for our future; weary for Syria; weary for the tumult we see daily; weary, weary, weary! I hear these words from one of our Christmas hymns “And a weary world rejoices!” And I want to believe, but the images on my television screen cause me to doubt. Will our weary world ever again rejoice? 

The tears continue to stream down my face as I weep with Rachel. I am raw with grief for the brokenness of our world. I am raw with love; love for God; a love unlike any other. I am simply raw as I yearn for peace on Earth and love, justice and mercy for all of God’s beloved children. 

In the birth of Emmanuel, the noise of the world is silenced as we hear the cries of the one who is with us. Emmanuel, God with us…God with us in our pain, God with us in our doubt, God with us in our joy, God with us in our mourning and our dancing. God with us when we cannot find the words to speak. God with us in the love and hope born that holy night.