Christmas evokes all sorts of images and memories for
people. Christmas is also very tied to any number of movies for many people.
When I look at my own family, it has become almost a tradition to watch a
certain number of Christmas movies. It’s
A Wonderful Life speaks to the high value of relationships that people have
with one another as the highest gift. The
Christmas Story, especially for Ruth and I, evokes memories of Christmases
past when we were growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. National Lampoon Christmas Vacation teaches a valuable lesson about imposing too
much on Christmas. Ruthie and I have always had a fondness for Scrooge, a musical version of Dicken’s A
Christmas Carol. Oddly, one of my favorite, and one I usually watch on my
own, is an old Sesame Street Christmas special. Big Bird, thanks to Oscar the
Grouch, gets all out of sorts trying to figure out how a fat Santa can fit down
skinny chimneys. I am sure you all have
some favorite Christmas entertainments of your own. However, the greatest story
is expressed in the Prologue of John’s Gospel. It is the gospel reading for the
Mass on Christmas Day. We rarely hear it, because everyone wants to hear baby
Jesus stories. In his Prologue, John tells the story of how the Logos, the Word
of God, through whom all life is created, decides out of love for that which he
created, to take on our humanity. God, in a word, gives away everything, to
become the servant of the His creation. This tremendous act of love of giving
away everything for us, continues all of Jesus’ life until he has only one
thing left to give, that of his life’s breath. Amongst all the Christmas
pageants, parties, lights, cookies, punch (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and
all the Fa, La, Las of the Christmas season, let us emulate the gift God gave
us in the Incarnation. May we give of ourselves to others as Jesus gave of
himself for you and for me. Peace!
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