“Our instinct will always be to celebrate the Christmas season, and yet we often find ourselves dwelling on the difficulties and complications the world faces as we journey through the time of Advent.

“It is human nature to reflect on the year gone by as Christmas approaches, and that can be challenging. Joy can seem very distant when we can see horrors, aggression and hatred throughout much of the world. Here at home in Scotland, we witness issues becoming more polarised and we are very aware of the life and witness of our own church in a changing world.

“But the angels didn’t appear above the Shepherds’ Fields in Bethlehem in a time of calm and peace. They made their declaration above a small provincial town in a region of conflict under foreign rule. Displaced people were on the move at the whim of the authorities, and a local leader was prepared to do anything to hold on to power.

“Yet in the middle of it all the angels sang “Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth peace to all in whom he delights”. Why?

“I believe it is because that is the wish of God, the purpose of the Christ child’s birth and the task we have in our lives of faith. We are called to bring peace, to offer glory, and to give thanks for the delights we have.

“A wise old Deacon said to me recently: ‘Yes, we are called to pray and to worship, but also to live in the fullness of God’s creation and God’s love.’

“We should rejoice and celebrate this Christmas, while caring for those who are less able to do so. We should sing our joyful songs while praying for peace and reconciliation. We should also share the love of God with those we agree with but also those we don’t agree with.

“The angels sang above a dark and dingy stable in a complicated and difficult world. And thank God they did.”