From wishing to withing: a Christmas poem

The virgin will conceive 
and give birth to a son, 
and they will call him Immanuel —
which means “God with us.”
[Matthew 1:23]

And surely I am with you always, 
to the very end of the age.
[Matthew 28:20]

Book-ended with with
The story of Jesus
Is about the present of presence.

We witness to this withness
In the unity of community,
Where the forgiven become
The forgiving;
Where the loved become
The lovely
In our loving.

God-with-us Jesus
Grows up among us
And we grow up
In him.

Always-with-us Jesus,
Sent to us,
Sends us
To continue his withing work.

And so
We
With you —
A merry Christmas!