Another Mogul painting, this time Hindu inspired, with Mary portrayed as a high caste woman.

Many Hindus consider Jesus to be important, as a saint, as a prophet or even as an avatar - an incarnation of the divine.  Many gospel stories are part of traditional Hindu (Indian) lore, and of course there are Christians in India who trace their origins to the apostle Thomas.

How does it feel when other faiths share a love of Jesus?

It's 24 years today since I heard, with a clarity I had never heard before, and have rarely heard since, the voice of God calling me to ordained ministry.

Yesterday it was 18 years since I made my ordination vows.

Over those years the world has changed, and I have changed, but the call hasn't and the sincerity and seriousness of the vows hasn't.

No cakes, no parties, no gifts or cards, it's not that kind of a birth-day.  But lots of food for thought, and lots to be thankful for.

Today I was reading yesterday's portion of 'Honest Advent' which focussed on Mary's morning sickness, and the strange mix of nausea and joy that comes with pregnancy - something that serves as a metaphor for the outworking of a 'yes' to God's call on our own lives.

Turning 18 yesterday does, I guess, mean I am now a proper grown up minister type person - it's been an adventure this far, and that much isn't likely to change any time soon.

It's been a few days since I posted anything about the Jesse Tree, but I have been taking a few minutes each day to cut out, colour and add the symbol to my tree.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph - four very significant and flawed men, who God called and enabled to take significant roles in the big story of faith.

It's always worth spending a few moments to think about whose 'voice' isn't heard or whose story isn't told.  What about Keturah (Abraham's second wife) Rebecca/Rebekah (Isaac's wife), Bilhah and Zilpah (Jacob's concubines) Dinah (Joseph's sister) or Asher (one of his brothers)? Without the minor characters, the major ones cannot be major...

Tonight's image is a seventeenth century mogul (Islamic influenced) representation of the birth of Jesus.  In India, where many world faiths celebrate the births of significant prophets, the birth of Jesus is at the same time just one more story, and also a story that matters to people who understand him very differently.

A beautiful clay nativity scene from Peru shows the Holy Family as a homeless family, whilst the more wealthy observers look down from their balconies.

A prayer from displaced Peruvian people...

God, our promised land,
Christ, our way,
our journey has become long and hard
because we wander about
like nomads
not knowing where to go.
We are strangers in our own land,
without bread, a roof, a future.
But you came to find us
with your life-giving breath.
You, who are also displaced,
have become an exile with us.
you offer us anew the promised land.
Your spirit urges us toward
that joyous homecoming,