A Gift for the Christ Child

Homily for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Year C
What a journey it has been! For Mary and Joseph, their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Mary heavy with child, was treacherous and even dangerous. But they were not alone; their journey was guided by God. For the Church, the last four weeks of Advent have been a spiritual journey, working together as a community to open our hearts to welcome the Christ child once more. And for shoppers, the journey of the past several weeks has been a challenge of trying to find the right gift for the right person at the right price, all in the midst of the crowds and the traffic and the hustle and bustle of the season. And now, here we are – the long-awaited day has arrived, we find ourselves in the presence of Christ, our king, and the celebrations begin. In all the journeying of the past weeks, almost everything has focused on us or on our families; but Christmas is not really about us. In the rush of the season, we may wonder: what have we done in these days for the child born in Bethlehem?

The wise may bring their learning, the rich may bring their wealth,
And some may bring their greatness, and some their strength and health:
We too would bring our treasures, to offer to the King;
We have no wealth or learning, what gifts then shall we bring?*

One of the blessings that can be found in the midst of this year’s struggling economy is an expanded understanding of what makes a good gift. The jobs that have been lost, the salaries that have been cut, the retirement plans that have shrunk – while these things can change our plans and force us to make cutbacks in spending, they can also remind us that the best gifts cost little or no money at all. The phone call to a distant relative, the home-cooked dinner for a college student, the visit to a nursing home, the time spent together around the fire. These actions of love mean more than any amount of money can buy. And it is from these free gifts that we can look for one last gift, a gift for the Christ child, a gift we can find even when all the stores are closed.

We’ll bring him hearts that love him, we’ll bring him thankful praise,
And souls forever striving, to follow in his ways:
And these shall be the treasures, we offer to the King,
And these are gifts that ever, our grateful hearts may bring.*

Christmas Day comes only once a year. But each day, we are called to follow Christ, to return to him some small measure of what he has given us. It doesn’t take much, but it does take effort. Without any merit on our part, we have each been created in God’s image and likeness, we have been offered the promise of salvation – that is God’s gift to us. But it takes something else to be a Christian – we must make a return gift to God, the gift of our lives, our love, our time, and our actions. It’s a gift that we are called to give not just on Christmas, but on each day of the year.

We’ll bring the little duties, we have to do each day;
We’ll try our best to please him, at home, at school, at play:
And better are these treasures, to offer to our King
Than richest gifts without them; yet these we all may bring.*

What gift can you give to Christ, today and each day of the year?

*Verses taken from the anonymous 19th Century Christmas Carol “The Wise May Bring Their Learning.”