good will toward men

In the prayer of presence for the third week of Advent I am reminded that everything around me "is tingling with the presence of God." Why "tingling"?

If God is present everywhere, that should be cause for fear. At least, that's how we motivate kids who still believe in Santa: "he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake".

Unless. Unless the message of the angels is true. Unless God is really full of good will toward men (and women). That's a thought that makes me tingle. God is not a cosmic killjoy, a galactic Scrooge that hates it when people are having a good time. He genuinely desires for us to have the best, to know true love and joy.

The problem is that we do not have good will toward God. Or toward each other. We are constantly sabotaging our Creator's designs for our own fulfillment.

So He sent a savior. And he sent angels to announce it. To remind us again that he is full of good will toward us. Even when we are so lacking in good will that we would kill Him.