Homes are filled with fragrance of homemade Christmas goodies and of course getting the best tailored dress for the Christmas dance – these are given more preference rather than teaching our children the importance of Christmas and preparing them for the birth of baby Jesus.
For weeks and months before Christmas we are frequently reminded that Christmas is on the way, especially by people and companies who are trying to get us to buy something from them. Do we ever think about spirituality at Christmas time? Well, to answer that question we have to go back to where it all began, with the birth of Jesus the Messiah. There is a ring of truth to the saying ‘He is the reason for the season’.
Christmas is and should be so much more than what we buy. Gifts are fun, both to give and receive, but they are only symbolic of a much greater gift like the love of God coming down to earth – now that is something to celebrate! Let’s keep Christ the central focus of our life this Christmas season by giving God, one very special gift just from us to Him. Let this gift be something personal that no one else needs to know about, and it could be a sacrifice or it could be to forgive someone who needed to be forgiven for a long time. You may discover that you’ve given a gift back to yourself by doing these acts of humility.
For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don’t have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who have died recently or who will not be able to come home for various reasons. A simple Christmas lunch/dinner may be only a wish and not a reality for some due to financial constrains. This reminds me that when we go with lunch for the inmates to a Home for Aged during Christmas time, they have so much of sadness written large on their ageing faces. What they wish is to talk and bring a smile to them. Lunch is not the ultimate desire for them, what they yearn is to talk and interact with others. It gives us a great satisfaction to spend some quality time with the inmates and bring cheer in their lives.
God loves the poor. He is among them. And if we are going to celebrate the birth of His Son with any sense of conscience, we must be with them, too. So, let’s look at Christmas in a new way this year and open our eyes to the true joy of Christmas as we rediscover the Christmas spirit. This is the year to invite Jesus into your hearts. You will then have a “Merry Christmas.” The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met.
