From the editor
“Christ must be the one we look to at all times and especially during the celebration of Christmas,” writes Concordia University Nebraska student Isaiah Armbrecht in December’s The Lutheran Witness. Armbrecht and other writers use that central theme to span both the penitence of Advent and the celebration of Christmas, while keeping the magazine’s and reader’s focus on Christ.
In this issue, authors look at Advent and Christmas hymnody — and even the Magnificat — that speak to Christ’s goodness toward mankind. They write about the mercy Christ gives and the way in which Christians in turn share that compassion with others who may be struggling mentally, physically or emotionally during the holiday season. They also encourage readers to rejoice in the gift of Scripture, which allows one to see Jesus just as face-to-face as those in Bethlehem did.
And, the cover story digs into Gaudete, the Advent Sunday that breaks all the rules by encouraging Christians to rejoice in the Lord always, even during penitential Advent, while readers also hear from Scripture words of comfort that were just as true for the shepherds as they are for Christians today: “Fear not!”
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Adriane Heins, Managing Editor
The Lutheran Witness
