Yes, Christmas is supposed to be merry. Christ has come! But Christmas - the advent of the Savior - exists because this world is marked by sickness, sorrow, and suffering. Why would God allow things to be this way? This Sunday we see a woman whose life was marked by the worst of sorrows for a dozen straight years ... yet she never lost hope, moving toward Christ in faith when she had her chance. We are all invited to do the same.