By Rev. David Beckmann
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” – Mathew 2:10
When the wise men who had traveled from the East saw that the star of Bethlehem had stopped, “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” That joy was evident in the gifts they brought to the newborn king, the child of Mary and Joseph. Their gifts represented the best they could offer.
Today, the joy of Christmas moves us to acts of kindness, love, and compassion. In his first apostolic exhortation, Pope Francis said, “The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus…. That joy should move us to love for one another, help the poor, and work for social justice.”
As Bread for the World members, we are moved by the joy of the Gospel to change the policies and conditions that allow hunger to persist in our nation and around the world. The joy of Christmas inspires us—men and women, Republicans and Democrats, young and old—to work tirelessly, with the conviction that God wants all people to be fed.
As the wise men did—and the shepherds before them—may we give the best of our talents and resources to express the joy we find in Jesus’ birth among us.
Rev. David Beckmann is the president of Bread for the World.
