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Good morning.听 I was walking through Bedford town centre recently when I heard the strains of live music.听 Coming closer I realised it was the Salvation Army Band playing Christmas carols and I began to sing along.听听 I had a few strange looks and some smiles, too.听 I suppose it was obvious to those who passed by that I was not a regular member of the group! But like many others, I love Christmas carols because in a simple way they tell the story of Jesus and proclaim the Christian message of God鈥檚 gift of love to everyone.听

The nineteenth century poet, Christina Rossetti wrote several Christmas poems that were later set to music. Brought up in London, Rossetti left school at the age of fourteen after a mental breakdown.听 Though she struggled for most of her life with bouts of depression, she seemed to find comfort in her faith. One of her well known carols, In the Bleak Mid-winter, speaks of the visit of shepherds and later wise men to bring gifts to the baby Jesus and then challenges us all with a question:听
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What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
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Thinking there is nothing great to be offered, the response is simply this:
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Yet what I can, I give Him -
Give my heart.
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It is a fitting reply because Christian faith teaches that the best response to God鈥檚 love is simply to love God and others in return.听 Sometimes we think that a person may have everything and we are left with the feeling that we can鈥檛 give or do anything special for them. Yet, perhaps what they need most is the gift of ourselves.听
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Prayer: Lord, help us not to be too rushed and harried today. Remind us that the greatest gift we can ever give and receive is love. . Amen