We don't often hear that question, do we? People usually ask us, "Are you all ready for Christmas?" We all busy ourselves with shopping, cooking, decorating and all the rest of it at this time of year. But when do we take the time to consider our relationship to the One, whose birthday it is that we are celebrating?
When we're considering a gift for a friend or loved one, we ask ourselves, "What do they want? What would really please them?" Well, what does Jesus want from us, anyway? Why did he come to Earth in the first place?
Jesus Christ came to the world on the first Christmas, not to get anything, but to give instead. He came to give the greatest gift ever; he came to give us HIMSELF!
The Son of God left his Throne of Glory in Heaven to become a human baby. That Baby grew into the Man who would give his life as a perfect Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Jesus himself, in the Gospel tells us that he did not come into this world to receive and "to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many," (Matthew 20:28). His most earnest desire is to give his life - eternal life - to us, as he now shares our human life with us since his Incarnation (taking human flesh upon himself) in his Conception and Nativity.
The best "present", then, that we can give to Jesus is to accept his gift of himself to us. That is what truly pleases him.
But, just as at his First Coming in Bethlehem when there was found "no room in the inn", so today many people find they have "no room", "no time", for him. Many people today try to "make Christmas" by filling their lives with more and more things. Even if we were to "get everything we wanted" for Christmas, if we don't know, love and worship Christ we have no real CHRISTmas.
The longing we all have for "Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards Men", will only begin to come true through faith (or TRUST) in what Christ has given us.
And just as our parents always taught us, when someone gives us a gift, we must say "Thank-You", if we are truly grateful. We do this by responding to his gift with the gift of "ourselves, our souls and bodies," to him. We do this in praise and worship, "not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to his service". As someone once said, "Either we value Jesus above all , or we do not value him at all!"
How about YOU? Where will you be Christmas Eve and Day? And each Sunday after that? Do YOU appreciate what Christ has done for you?
The Gospel of St John (1:1-14) read at the Midnight Christmas Service tells us, "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. BUT as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth".
We invite you to worship Christ, in the Church of your choice, this Christmas -- and always! A Truly Blessed Christmas to All.