1/ on Christmas Eve, billions of people all over the world are joining hearts and minds in a single thought: that in the midst of even the darkest night, the birth of something new, something perfect, and something miraculous is possible.

2/ To many, that new possibility is encapsulated in the birth of Jesus - not only in the world 2,000 years ago, but within each of us every moment that we allow pure love to enter our hearts and extend outward to the world.

3/ Even those who do not view that love as the emanation of Jesus can feel the power of Christmas. It is a yearly reminder that a better world can still yet be.

4/ This year the message of Christmas is particularly poignant. Our world is weary and grieving and hearts are heavy with the stress of our collective challenges. While Christmas means nothing if we allow it to mean nothing, it means everything if we see it as a message from God.