If you’ve ever seen the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” you probably think it’s an exaggeration of a Greek family. Well, to some extent it is a little, but not by much - and I’d know because I’m half Greek. Let’s do a quick comparison. Does my dad think Windex solves all problems? No, but my uncle does! Do I have 7 cousins named Nick? No, but I do have 8 named Amalia! My papou and yaya (grandpa and grandma) in Greece had 13 kids, and on my dad’s side of the family, I have 32 cousins! Many of them don’t live here anymore, but when I was growing up all the siblings on my Kambas side would get together for Christmas. It was a big gathering, with kids running around the house, a lot of delicious food, and music. It made for some really great memories.

Family is a blessing. Maybe your gatherings are loud, crazy and fun just like those big fat Greek families! Maybe for you, when you hear the word family there’s a lot of pain, hurt or sadness. Maybe there’s broken relationships in your family, grief or loneliness and those are amplified especially during the holidays.

Jesus came as a baby born in a manger to a family that wasn’t perfect. If you read the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, it included people with broken marriages, scandals and those you wouldn’t think would be in the genealogy of the Saviour of the world. Jesus didn’t avoid the complexity of what family was, he chose to enter into it. Jesus could have come to this earth as an adult, a royal figure with wealth and power, but he didn’t. He came as a little baby, into a real family, not a picture-perfect life! He was born in a stable with stinky animals… not a palace where a king really deserved to be born. This is what we remember during Advent; that God enters our waiting, messes and longings with love.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry he continued to redefine what family really means. In Mark chapter 3 Jesus’ mother and brother were waiting for him, and someone told Jesus that they were waiting. He replied telling them basically that family isn’t limited by blood, but we are all welcomed and adopted into God’s family. And the love that God has for us is the love we need to show as best as we can for others. Not just around the holidays, but this is a time when people feel forgotten or alone in a season where everyone talks about all their family gatherings. Love is something we are meant to share with everyone. We are called to extend hospitality to others and reflect the love that Jesus showed us by coming to this earth to die for us.

So as we are getting all the last-minute details ready for Christmas, remember Jesus came to love us, and we need to love those around us. Maybe that means one last invite to your neighbour or coworker who says they have no plans but “like it that way.” This year, open your home and make space for someone, so no one feels left behind this Christmas.

And to those of you who are the ones hurting this Christmas because you lost someone in your family this past year, or maybe you had a falling out with someone, your kids aren’t coming home this Christmas, etc., know that you are not alone! You have a Heavenly Father who loves you more than you can imagine! You’re part of God’s family, and I hope you feel so loved this Christmas!