It was not only Mary and Joseph who journeyed to Bethlehem – all the characters and creatures we meet in the nativity stories found their way to the manger, summoned by stars, angels or political circumstance. Each time we celebrate Christmas, we travel there too, and open ourselves to transformation. Bethlehem Bound is a daily spiritual travel companion for the season, beginning with the great Advent antiphons that herald the feast, and ending with the Presentation in the Temple. Each day it travels with a different character from scripture and the Christian tradition – Jesse, Anna, Gabriel, the donkey, the innkeeper and his wife, the shepherds, the martyrs we commemorate at Christmas and many more. The journey had its challenges for the original characters and it will for us, but at its end is a wondrous gift from God - God’s own self in a baby laid in a manger. Bethlehem Bound invites us to embrace that gift afresh.

Andrew Nunn is the Dean of Southwark and a much-loved figure. As @deansouthwark, he tweets daily prayers to his many followers, and blogs at southwarklivinggod.wordpress.com. He is a member of the General Synod of the Church of England.