THE GREATEST GIFT EVER GIVEN: 

CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS

GIFT-GIVING PART II

We introduced the gift giving theme early in the Christmas season with a piece on St. Nicholas, whose feast we celebrated on December 6^th, and whose reputation eventually became the persona we call “Santa Claus”. Reference was made to the three main feasts during the holiday season which represent this theme. The second one, chronologically, is Christmas Day, itself. Later, and lastly, we will take a look at the Epiphany—the feast of the Three Kings—which we remember on January 6^th... or a liturgical date that is close to that traditional calendar date. That marks the end of the Christmas season, and is sometimes called “The 12^th Day of Christmas”.

CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS

The greatest and most generous gift ever given was… planned long, long ago. It was lavishly provided to needy, wayward children—humbly and quietly in a manger in Bethlehem. The Giver was the Almighty God—Love, Himself, Who did not withhold from us His only, precious Son—Christ, our Lord. St. Nicholas gave in the same spirit of giving that God the Father gave… So, conversely—and quite the First, Foremost, and most original Giver—the Father, Himself, still keeps on giving like St. Nicholas… willing to give humbly and secretly… giving gladly, and most often without receiving thanks or praise or glory…

Generous giving… Helping the needy… Reaching out to the lowly who cannot repay … God the Father becomes the loving model of gift giving. No wonder gift-giving customs grew up around Christmas! But there’s more to it.

This Gift He gives us is a Person Who gently calls our name. Then, He waits for us to invite Him into our hearts, our homes, and our lives. He’s an all-year, every need, every season “Gift”… that never wears out, that we never outgrow, that fits every size. He is a Gift inconceivably larger than all of creation, yet gently… considerately… humbly… small enough to dwell comfortably in our not-so-perfect hearts.

 “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights… “ [James 1:17] Every good thing starts with the Gift He gave us… and gifts that He keeps giving us… (Although many of us quite often assume that “good” things come our way outside of God’s hand or generosity or grace, our most humble God forgives our blindness, self-sufficiency, even arrogance…)

Our first and most wonderful Gift of Christmas is, literally, the “Wonderful-Counselor, God-Hero… Prince of Peace” that the prophet Isaiah spoke of [in Isa.9:5b]. And He is still ALIVE… still living and growing within us, as we let Him—and more everlasting than the greenest “evergreen”! He’s more than we can ask or think… believe or imagine. He has a “heaven” of gifts and blessings to give—much more than a sleigh that comes through the sky could ever carry! So-o-o—when He comes knocking on the door of our hearts this season… Do we repeat the answer of the innkeepers in Bethlehem that night: “Sorry! We’re already too crowded …There’s no room left here…”?

Four hundred years after God had last spoken publicly through His prophets to His beloved (but unfaithful) children on earth, this baby boy was born in a small town in Israel. The apostle, John, later wrote:

“We love, because he first loved us”… (1 John 4:19). God the Father knowingly sent His Son to live through the difficulties of life in this world, and then to die, sacrificially, in our place—personally for each one of us. We now celebrate the designated day—December 25^th—as the day the savior-child was born, and given so kindly to us.

Most of us have heard the story before… some of us… many times before. It is best described in Luke, chapter 2… How Joseph and his pregnant, betrothed bride traveled to Bethlehem (their town of family origin) as part of a census decreed by Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor. In that busy little town their son was born—and laid in a manger, outside the overcrowded inn. The King of kings received limited fan-fare: Heaven’s angels appeared amidst great light in that dark night, with the glory of the Lord shining all around them. 

The news came to several quite surprised and humble listeners… There were shepherds watching over their flocks that night in nearby fields. They were the ones chosen to hear this phenomenal news from the brightly lit skies—“good news of great joy that will be for all peoples… a savior born for you who is Messiah and Lord.” When the angels left, they found that baby, lying in the manger….

So, here we are in the midst of anticipating the holidays—busy, busy planning and buying and making gifts to give. That can be both kind and generous, and it’s fun—at least, it was meant to be... Some of us are a-flurry with many passionate thoughts about “gracious” entertaining, and gracious giving. But…

Do we ever give much thought to “gracious receiving”? How about graciously entertaining—let’s say, inviting a perennial guest—the Greatest Gift ever given? How about finally, gladly, passionately… receiving… this Gift, already given… Who patiently continues “knocking” at the door of our hearts? As much as we have heard the Christmas story—seriously—have we truly received that First (and greatest) Christ-mas Gift? …Into the depths of our hearts? …Into our lives… our homes? 

Do we welcome the Christmas symbols—lights, candles, evergreens, music, wreaths, gifts—and stop there? ... or go beyond, and let the fires on the candles warm our hearts … and let the light penetrate our eyes and souls… and let the “ever-greens” enliven the everlasting in us? Do we listen to the words of some of our beloved Christmas carols, and let the sweet appreciation of that Greatest Gift—expressed in music—speak to us throughout the season?

We make new choices every day we live. Sometimes we don’t even think about them. Let’s be just a little more deliberate this year.

Let’s enjoy giving! Let’s give wisely, thoughtfully… And let’s think about adding to our Christmas list this year… add new ways to receive the Lord into our lives. We can start small—like Jesus did. First, (when conceived), He was as little as the dot at the end of this sentence. Then He breathed his first breath as a helpless, crying baby. Then He grew… And so can we… Our generous God and Father does not despise small beginnings… What remains? Simply to begin…

The season is hastening along. Advent is well on its way to a close. But there is yet one other “gift-giving” feast day coming… Later, we will take another look at gift-giving through the story of the Three Wise Men.