 Ffwoaent. Rwy'n argynnau'r eitem Ew iddi wrth yr ei hyn yn gyrfa. A croon cyffredinоб yn ddigwyddio gyrraedd. Rydyn ni'n griffaf i Roddi Cyfran Barchley, yn rhawr Senni Peadars Church i Llynyddgo a Llynydd Goulombu's Church i Bathgate? everybody, members of the Scottish Parliament, thank you for the opportunity to address you this afternoon. While here we are at the end of January, the days are lengthening, Hyde, through springtime. Christmas may well be just a memory. Trees and decorations down, presents put away. Thank you messages delivered. Yes, Christmas has a tick in the box done for this year. However in the Christian calendar we are still in the season of Christmas, until the feast of Candlemas on Friday when we celebrate Christ the light of the world being presented in the temple. So before we leave the season we should look again at the characters in the Christmas story before we put them away for another year. For they were not just for that first Christmas, they have a message for us every day as God leads creation and humankind forward. Mary, her amazing belief that God could and would keep his promise, reminds us to have faith in God who does not break promises and for us to be obedient to our promises, however hard that may be. Joseph, what a journey he had. He reminds us that our doubts can be so valuable for they can help us to be honest with God and with ourselves. The shepherds living on the margins of society, they remind us of God's love for the forgotten and left behind in our world. The magi of whom T.S. Eliot wrote a long hard journey they had of it at the worst time of year. They remind us of those who are up against the powerfully corrupt, who are prepared to do whatever they have to to those who stand in their way. They also remind us of the gifts we all bring, gifts for laying at the feet of Jesus, offerings of our time, talents, experience. A very special reminder to those of us who have the privilege and opportunity of serving others. Finally, Jesus, our central character, of whom St John referred to as the light of the world, who came to take the world out of darkness, a reminder to us here and now that Jesus' light always overcomes darkness. There is so much darkness in our world today. How can each one of us walk with darkness and guide forward those whose lives are dark, those whose lives lack hope? For each person is precious. May God inspire and strengthen you all for your service to our nation.