The story of Christmas is how God has chosen to come in the form of a child, into the cradle of a family, drawing compassionate beings to himself so that they might know God’s love and compassion. We are drawn into ever widening circles of love and compassion. Active loving compassion is the life blood of the web of life. This is not only the message of Christmas, but also many of the great religions of the world The Buddha reminds us that "In separateness lies the world's greatest misery; in compassion lies the world's true strength." The Dalai Lama develops this though further, "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."  If you want to get to know God better, practice loving compassion. As the German Theologian, Wolfhart Pannenberg wrote: “The love of one’s neighbour that Jesus preached is nothing other than participating in God’s own mind and activity.”