Yehoshua was a Palestinian Jew, known to us as Jesus – we celebrate his birthday, as the Prince of Peace, on 25 December each year. Born, as he was, under a brutal Roman military occupation, I wonder how we will celebrate his birth THIS coming Christmas.

During Advent – which begins on 3 December – this year I suggest we should think very hard as to how we celebrate this year’s birthday of the Prince of Peace, or we may well be accused of making a mockery of his birth, life and death.

Yehoshua said to let the little children come to him and not to hinder them, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God … “See that you do not despise one of these little ones”. 

In a story, Yehoshua ben Yosef quoted the king as saying: ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“May God help me be a mother, a sister, and a father to my siblings.” Touching words from a Palestinian girl who lost her parents to the Israeli airstrikes. #Gaza #Israel https://pic.twitter.com/xfvCNXOxeq