In the Gospel for this Sunday, the wild and eccentric figure of John the Baptist comes out of the desert, startling his listeners with the vehemence of his message (John 1:6-8, 19-28). He is a poignant figure; he does not fit in with the authorities of his day and he will be dead before the Kingdom of God appears. It is happy-sad story full of pathos: he can see a bright new age dawning, but it is one of which he will not be a part. This is how I feel at the moment; I can glimpse an ideal that might be but probably never will, washed away in the busyness of the festive season. The reason that the 'true meaning' of Christmas has been lost is because the church has given it away. It is not, as we might like to imagine, that commercialism has swallowed it whole. Recently, as I was cycling home two young people sped past me on their bicycles. One of them turned round and shouted 'get an upgrade!' It is maybe this that the church needs to do with its Christmas message.

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