At this time of year we, in the West, have remembered the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Many in the Eastern church have yet to arrive at their day of remembrance, but whether West or East whilst it is good to remember his day it is better to remember what he said when he came into the world:

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come – In the volume of the book it is written of me – to do your will, O God.’

Psalm 40 (39 in the Greek¹ from which this is taken) and Hebrews 10

1. vvs.7-9 θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἐζήτησας. τότε εἶπον· ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ· τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου, ὁ Θεός μου, ἐβουλήθην καὶ τὸν νόμον σου ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου.  ↩︎