Can't find Jesus

Yesterday my daughter gave me a wordsearch to complete which she had made at school. I was a little challenging as she had handwritten a very large grid and then carefully written in partial parts of the words to be found several times. This was compounded again by her having obviously watched the photocopier copy with the lid partially open as there was an ominous grey patch down one side. Anyway, I persevered and found all the words except one - and I knew I was in for trouble. But you are a priest, mummy, she chuckled - the irony was not lost on the other members of my family - the word I could not find was Jesus.

The missing Jesus it turned out after careful scrutiny by several pairs of eyes was actually just not there and got quickly pencilled in to my copy of the search - but that would be to spoil a good story where I had found reindeer and elves, angels and even Mary but Jesus was nowhere to be found.

Sometimes Advent can feel a lot like that. When people ask me whether I am ready for Christmas I know that those words mean, have you finished you shopping and got your food sorted yet? I usually answer with, I have done the shopping, trying to leave a subtle vapour trail that this is the least of "getting ready for Christmas".

This Advent, for various reasons, has involved a lot of waiting. It feels like a real journey and by the time I get to Bethlehem I will be ready for a rest. But the really good thing is that I know Jesus will be there - there is a bright light telling me where to go, where to rest, where to adore. There is no question of a creators mistake, that somehow we will make this journey, bring our gifts and then find that the stable is empty - it simply does not work that way.

The other day I read John Betjeman's poem "Christmas" to one of our weekday congregations. It points to that same reality - that there is always mystery, always promise that God is really here hallowing all of our rush and bustle, being born in a stable and filling our lives with sacramental grace.

This is true for us in another century too, we still keep our lives, we still rustle and hustle, but we are still loved and held and summoned by a Jesus who is never really missing.