God is with us. God is with us, each of us, and all of us, this very moment. God is with me as I write this and with you as you read it. God is with us in our joy and in our sorrow. God is with us in our activity and in our rest. God is with us in our play and in our work. God is with us when our health is good and especially when our health is bad. God is with us when we are fresh, invigorated, and full of vitality, and when we are exhausted, overwhelmed, and burned out.

God is with us when we are aware of the holy Presence and when we are not. God is with us when we are awake and when we are asleep. God is with us when we are in church and when we are not in church. God is with us when we are helping others and when we are taking care of ourselves. God is with us when we answer the call to serve and when we rebel.

God is with us when we are frustrated and angry and when we are peaceful and serene. God is with us when we forgive others and when we hold a grudge, yet unable to forgive. God is with us when we are generous to a fault and when we hold tightly to everything we have. God is with us when we are open to receive and when we are closed as tight as a drum. God is with us when we are prideful and when we are humble. God is with us when we are diligent and when we are goofing off. God is with us when we are loving and when we are not so lovable. God is with us when we are appreciating creation and when we are abusing creation. God is with us when we are freeing others from oppression and yes, even when we are the oppressors.

God is with us in the seasons of Advent and Epiphany, and Lent, and Easter, and at Pentecost, and through all of what is called Ordinary Time, as well as during the Christmas season when we expect God to make an appearance. God is with us 24/7/52. God is with us in the beginning and in the ending of it all. God is with us, enfolding us with perfect love, allowing nothing to separate us from God’s love.

EMMANUEL ! GOD IS WITH US !!