In a touching article in the December Messenger, Vincent Sherlock writes a letter to Santa, thanking him for the various strands and pieces that comprise the jigsaw of his life to date. As a time often associated with gifts, the December Messenger encourages us to reflect and be grateful for the gifts we do have in our lives – the love of God, the presence of family and loved ones, what health we have and the fact that most of us have a home over our heads and don’t suffer from persecution. We think back to the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt and how it mirrors the experience of so many people today; we think of those marginalised ­– maybe by disability or membership of a minority group in society, maybe by poverty – and remind ourselves that we have much to be grateful for and many ways we can extend the hand of inclusion and belonging in this Season of Goodwill.

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