Ever
wonder who gave the first Christmas present? There’s a simple answer: God!
God’s
was the gift of Infinite Self through the gift of an infant Son. It was a
Present of Presence! It was the Divine Self reaching into an imperfect world
and becoming eternally present, changing the world forever. From now on any person’s
gift would be a sign of humanity’s feeble attempt to replicate God’s amazing gift
of Self to us, a sign of love reaching
across boundaries of all kinds.
Think
of how many times each of us has given or witnessed a gift being given. How
often do we recognize the profundity it represents? One common image where, if
we pay attention, we can see below the surface, is one where a small child gives
a grandparent a favorite rock, a wilting dandelion, or an indecipherable drawing.
The child doesn’t have the tools to express him or herself, but an adult can
see the love. When this happens, usually two smiles add light to the world
because God’s presence is once again visible.
But
it isn’t just these intimate human moments that echo God’s first gift:
A smile or a helping hand in a difficult situation;
a sandwich to a hungry
man;
a donation to a cause
when funds are running low;
the attempt to stop an
argument or fight between friends;
these
are all signs where God’s love is taking on human dimensions, a Christmas gift
in or out of season.
Not
all gifts emerge from self-giving love. Some stem from a sense of duty, some
because of other reasons. No giving though, whatever its motivation, can escape
being an echo of God’s first Gift. As written in St. John’s first letter
(4:7-10), “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that God has loved
us and sent his Son…”
All
our life long we give/receive gifts and see others’ with them. Every present
carries with it the presence of its giver. Every one is a stand-in for the
giver and an echo of God’s gift that first Christmas. May every smile or hand
in need remind us of the presence of God’s love in our midst.
Sr. Colleen Winston, OSB
thank you for this good teaching on the topic of giving which must be the heart of Christian life. I had a good thought as I gave to my friend a small square Santa Claus containing a kiss (a Hershey chocolate) -- it was a belated Christmas present. Red robes, white beard, a square little box, should I bind him to my forehead? We talked about Saint Nicholas of Myra the exemplary Bishop and Church leader in the dawn. Is the commercialism of Father Christmas so bad -- I cannot think so. All the children opening presents, a billion happy memories, me also, joy that morning with siblings and Mum and Dad, an intense time, it will remain with me all my life. Thank you God! Oh a sudden realization, surely a gift, this little square box with the picture of Santa Claus, it is what we are not allowed to depict (though they did sometimes): Dad, you were such a loving father, you were so warm, it's you, it's you in disguise, great flowing friendly white beard. God bless OSB. Happy Easter.
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