Holy Family Sunday
The presents have all been opened. The
discarded wrapping paper and ribbons have been
cleared away. The Christmas meal has been eaten and
may yet provide enough leftovers for a day or two more.
The lights and tinsel still twinkle on the tree, but there is a
certain sense of relief that it is “over” and maybe even a
slight feeling of let-down and malaise. The day after
Christmas can be one of mixed emotions. There was
such a build-up in the previous week and then, in a flash,
it’s over. And it really shouldn’t be like that.
Often I hear people make statements along the
lines of “Giving is the true meaning of Christmas.” or
“Christmas is all about giving.”. That sets my teeth on
edge. Giving is not a bad thing and people should give;
that is, share their material blessings throughout the
year, not just focusing on Christmas. Anyone who thinks
Christmas is all about giving has missed the point
completely. Christmas is about Salvation.
The true meaning of Christmas is summed up in
the Hebrew word Immanuel, God is with us. The Second
Person of the Trinity, the Logos, or Word of the Father,
took on human flesh and nature as the Baby Jesus so as
to grow up as a Man; and, as a Man, to die to satisfy
justice for the sins of the World, and that includes each
and every one of us. (We tend to forget that.) This does
not mean that Christmas is not a joyful time: indeed it is.
This marks the time when our Salvation began. But in
order to truly realize and appreciate that, we have to
recognize and admit our need for Salvation. The true gift
of Christmas is God’s gift of His very Self to us for our
Salvation. No amount of material giving amonst
ourselves can even come near equaling God’s gift of
Himself to us. The only proper response is our gift of our
own selves to Him. How much of ourselves do we really
offer to God? Do we offer any of ourselves at all? This
is something we should consider, not just on the day
after Christmas, but on every day of the year.