By Monsignor Michael McCarron, Pastor
At least that is what we hear every year. But the truth is we listen only lightly. When the presents are finally purchased, the vacation is over and the trees are down at last, we look to the night sky, and see not angels, but mainly just “dark”. We don’t take particularly good care of the gift we have been given, do we? 2000 years and more, and still there is war and violence; outside of us between nations, and amongst us too, with our words as deadly as a rifle. The poor still go on forced marches, not for the “Census”, but for jobs, or to follow the crops, or to find a home, wherever the nearest Bethlehem might be. Still, the lonely and the broken too often find our hearts too crowded to offer them room.
Perhaps we should refocus, by looking more at the Giver. I can be so overwhelmed by the gift God is giving in Himself; I look at my smallness and my inability to respond. It is overwhelming! However, when I look to the Giver, the God so crazy in love, I realize He sends all I need to accept the gift and care for it. If I start with GOD and His power and goodness, my inadequacies are of little importance. When God became human, Christians believe He well knew what awaited Him in this world. But Incarnate He came nonetheless. He gives the greatest gift, His very self, in Jesus. By the power of the Spirit, He gives to us, like Mary and Joseph, all we need both to accept Him and to care for Him enough to bring Him into the world.
Monsignor Michael McCarron is pastor or Saint Bede Catholic Church in
3686 Ironbound Road,
Williamsburg, VA 23188, (757) 229-3631
http://www.bedeva.org/
Christmas Liturgies – 2011
December 24
Anonymous says
Wonderful and thoughtful! Thank you for helping me redirect back to God as we await our Savior’s birth.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
E. Armstrong says
The last sentence of this essay, and I quote,
“This year, think less of how fantastic and big the story is, and more about how fantastic and great the Giver of the Gift wants to make me in order to receive it.” causes me to believe that now matter how inadequate I feel about myself, GOD loves me to his highest extent– and that is endless.
I no longer feel unworthy of his great gifts to me, but totally accepting of his reasons, no matter what they are, for blessing me with them.
I thank GOD for his love, his blessings, and most of all for the gift of the birth of his only begotten son.
This is a wonderful article and most thought-provoking. Thank you and have a Blessed Christmas.