THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

By Fr. Tateos R. Abdalian

I don’t need to tell anyone that Christmas is on display in all major outlets and markets as if the celebration were only a week or so away.  Whatever you need, it’s there waiting for you: trees, lights, ornaments, toys, stockings, . . .   The only thing missing is for some enterprising young “preacher” to set up a booth to “sell” you the Spirit of Christmas, all neatly packaged in brightly colored wrapping.

The Der Hayr in me is hoping this year becomes a radical departure from the ordinary: that for this Christmas you decide now what you hope to find under the tree as your Christmas gift to yourself before the seasonal madness begins in earnest.  Have it a gift that you will value throughout the year.   Now this may sound a bit self-serving and narcissistic but hear me out.

Within our secular culture, we are being inundated from all sides when we talk of Christmas gifts.   Madison Ave wants us to believe that the true spirit of Christmas translates to worldly items: clothes, jewelry, golf clubs, etc. . . .   I always scoff at the yearly TV commercial offering of “Make someone happy this year”, depicting a Mercedes or Lexus automobile with a bright red ribbon tied to its roof.  Really?

Since it is only the end of October, you still have plenty of time to search your heart for that one thing that you need most of all that is not available on Amazon.  As you do, stretch the boundaries of your mind.   There are a wide array of gifts that are substantially more valuable, and I am willing to wager would appreciate more than those you can find at Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Cartier’s or even from Mercedes Benz or Lexus.

So, before you get caught in the whirlwind of the holidays, take some quality time away from the computer, the job, your phone, iPad, TV, the kids, your spouse, or anything that steals your attention.  Be alone with your thoughts and search your heart to help you determine what is missing in your life, what you need and should seek out more than anything else to become content.   Then, get a bit more somber and devote time speaking with God in prayer to realize what it is you are seeking. Be still to hear and listen to his response.

As Christians, remember Christmas is a Holy Day, not the holiday it has become, giving license to overindulgence in food, drink, greed, and yes, even debauchery.  We are compelled to celebrate the essence of Christmas which is the love of God for mankind.  We know the passage: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (Jn 3.16).

Look to the Gospel of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7) to see how God has given us the gift of his teachings, to live each day as a better person for the rest of our lives.  With careful examination see that these are the underlying principles in all the teachings of Jesus, resulting in a betterment of the self.

Throughout scripture, people came to Jesus seeking a healing from their infirmities.  He asked each one: What is it that you seek? to which each had to respond before any change happened.  I echo the same.

And of course, don’t forget the Big Guy who asks the little children who come to him: And what do you want for Christmas little boy/girl?

St. Paul instructs us, writing:  I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: ⁴ there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.  (Ephesians 4:1-6).

In the passage, St Paul tells us to: walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.  As a Christian, we have become children of God by virtue of our baptism. Can there be any greater gift than to be loved by God, to be called his children, able to call upon him as “Our Father”, granted a life worthy of living when all we need do is obey him?

So maybe the gift of becoming worthy is the gift we all need to seek this Christmas.

Now I am not so naïve to believe that customary and conventional gifts will not be purchased because of my words here.  But I ask that you remember, no matter what gifts you purchase or receive this year, eventually the luster and newness does wear off.  A car, precious gems, the latest must have toy or iPhone, all lose their luster and become stale. But the gift of God, of His Son to the world, is a gift that is ours for every hour and every day of our lives and is with us always.

Let us also remember the gift of ourselves to the other. We all have imperfections, but in the light of Christ’s radiant love for us, we need to see each other as He sees us, in perfect love and beauty.

And as you attend the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, when you sing, receive, and offer the Kiss of Peace – Kreesdos ee metch, – that greeting is simply another way of saying “Merry Christmas” and is your gift as well.

Fr. Tateos Abdalian was the former Pastor of St. John Armenian Church of Milwaukee, WI,  in 1980s.