_{Holy Spirit Catholic Church
Homilies}

 _{Feast of the Incarnation}

When I was a child, Christmas gifts were usually very practical . . . clothes or something I needed. I recall one Christmas when I received a shirt and some socks, but the clothes were not the source of my delight. Rather, it was a wood burning kit that I found to be fascinating and very special.

Christmas time can be complicated and busy with shopping, social events, and family gatherings . . . all of which are not without some tensions along with the joy. Christmas gifts can bring joy and delight, but they can also bring disappointment. Have you ever wanted something so strongly, but when you unwrap the gift, you find that it is not the gift you wanted, and disappointment follows?

Christmas gifts can also bring much delight, as when we receive something that is totally unexpected; it touches us deeply and speaks to us of a special relationship with the giver. The first sort of gift, and disappointment in not receiving it, has a focus on self, on me, and my wants. The second sort of gift, while it is special, has a much greater focus on the other and the connection with the other. The first may have to do with the size of the giver's wallet; the second, with the size of the giver's heart.

As we relive Christ's birth every year, I wonder if somewhere in the back of our mind is an attempt to recapture some of the awe and delight of childhood. Today, Christmas, we once again hear the story of Mary giving birth in a manger, the angels singing the glory of God and peace to all people. That moment must have been filled with awe and delight.

But there is so much more to celebrate than a birth. At the heart of Christmas we celebrate what the birth of Jesus brought: salvation. The meaning of Christmas is found in the meaning of Christ's life. Christ came to call us to a Father's love. We do not celebrate how much we love God; we celebrate how much God loves us! As Christians we have to celebrate Christmas! What was given to us long ago lives on only if we allow ourselves to encounter it again and again and again.

The meaning of Christmas is not shopping or partying, but sharing in the pure gift of love. When one receives a gift, what is it that gives delight? For me it is the sheer surprise for a gift that is unexpected, but touches me deeply. God's Son is the gift that we all receive this day! And maybe that is the source of delight itself, the gift of perfect love, unexpected, unearned, and not at all practical. Why would an all-powerful God become weak and vulnerable as a small child born into simple means?

Perhaps part of your gift giving this Christmas will be telling your son or daughter that you love them. Perhaps it will be looking into the eyes of a beggar or homeless person and sincerely trying to understand them. Perhaps your gift will be welcoming a stranger sitting next to you or welcoming home an inactive Catholic and letting them know they are in a faith community that cares about them.

God's great joy is in giving us the gift of His Son. Such a gift is not practical at all, and at first the human race almost missed the significance of this gift. Maybe Christmas does not bring the awe and sheer delight we experienced in childhood, but on the other hand, maybe our reliving of the Christmas event every year brings us closer to understanding the significance of God's gift to us!

On behalf of the Holy Spirit Church Staff I wish all of you a most joy-filled and holy Christmas!