Week 1 of Advent is often known as the week of “Hope”. Yet oftentimes hope seems to be far away, even at the holidays. Maybe our Advent journey has started in tragedy, as with the loss of a loved one. Maybe our Advent journey has started in hardship due to the loss of a job or a home. In these moments, we wonder, “Where is God? Does he know? Does he even care?” Which is why the first title for Jesus that we receive is so helpful: He is simply “Jesus of Nazareth”. Rather than being a king, dwelling in a palace in Jerusalem or marble halls in Rome, Jesus was just an average guy, from an average neighborhood. He lived with his people, sharing their joys and their sorrows, their griefs and their pains. The beauty of the Christmas story is that we have a God who is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses and comes to be with us, bringing us hope when we need it most, and the one who promises to come again and wipe away every tear and make all things new.