Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,
Much of the excitement that surrounds the Christmas season has to do with the giving and receiving of gifts. The frantic activity that takes place during Advent often surrounds determining what gift would be appropriate, shopping for the gift, wrapping it, and then dealing with the anticipation of presenting it to the recipient.

I remember as a child the excitement of going to sleep on Christmas Eve and then the magic of waking very early on Christmas morning and seeing the pile of gifts beneath the Christmas tree. What I find revealing is that after years and years of giving and receiving gifts at Christmas, I only remember a handful of the presents. Most of the ones that I remember have more to do with the giver than with the gift.

I also notice that many of the Christmas gifts that I have received over the years that I have held on to and treasure are not things that have great monetary value. Often they are gifts that were made by my nieces and nephews when they were very young. Isn’t it odd that when we are presented with a gift or can choose one, that we are most attracted to those wrapped in the most beautiful paper, ribbons, and bows, but the most treasured gifts are very likely very humble, plain objects given to us with great love?

We can learn a great spiritual lesson from this. The gifts that come to us from God are often taken for granted. They are just always there, so we don’t even consider what it would be like if we didn’t have them. One of the most difficult things for the Jewish people to overcome to accept Jesus as the Son of God was His humble birth. They were expecting a great king and Jesus was born of a humble Mother in poor circumstances. How could this be the Son of God? Even those who were aware of His birth were rather insignificant: the animals in the stable, the shepherds, foreign men from the East. Of course there were angels and a star, but it was easy to overlook those. Most people were unaware that night when the Savior of the World was born.

So often people ask me to tell them something to help their unbelieving children, friends, or spouses to believe. I always say there is nothing to say; faith is a gift from God. All you can do is pray that God will give it to them and that they will accept His gift.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, I pray that you will be more aware of God’s greatest gift to you. God is giving you the gift of Jesus. May you accept this gift from God with joy and hope in your heart.

May God bless you with a very Happy Christmas!

Msgr. Cox
Adoration of the Christ Child, Lorenzo Lotto (1523)