The gift that keeps on giving sermon

 Gift giving, and the purchase and acquisition of gifts has become the central focus of our Christmas celebration. Who we should get gifts for, how much shall we spend, do we get a gift for our boss, do we just send money or gift cards: these questions overshadow all the other aspects of the holiday. And even if we try to limit our spending or cut down our list of people to shop for, gift giving remains a vital part of Christmas.

But how did this tradition develop? Historically, why do we give one another gifts on Christmas?

Some say, it is a leftover from the Pagan celebrations, that when the early Christians decided on a date to celebrate the Mass for Christ, they decided on a date to coincide with the year-end celebrations of the Romans:  “Ancient Romans held year end celebrations to honor Saturn, their harvest god; and Mithras, the god of light …As part of these celebrations, the people prepared special foods, decorated their homes with greenery, and joined in singing and gift giving.”

Others say, and part of our tradition tells us, that gift-giving is way to connect with the first Christmas through the gift-giving of the Magi.

But tonight, our culture focuses on another gift-giver: Santa Claus. Now, here is my disclaimer: ln our family, to this day, there is a saying… “lf you don’t believe in Santa, you won’t get any gifts.” So I believe. For the record.

Our Saint Nicolaus – our Santa Claus – is celebrated in households all over the world for his generous heart and more: he is a combination of Saint, Judge, Magician, Gift-giver, example of generosity and love.

What do you think of when you think about Santa Claus? What is so great about him? (the element of surprise; he always comes; generosity; why does he give us gifts; he knows us….)

Santa Claus, whose visit we look forward to this evening, is also known as Saint Nicholas. And as a historical figure, Saint Nicholas was a fourth-century Greek bishop, responsible for the area of Myra in Lycia, which is part of modern-day Turkey. He was known for his generosity, especially to the children of his village. There is a famous story about St. Nicholas:

In Nicholas’ town, there was  a poor man who had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This was the money and goods a father would give to the family of the groom upon marriage. This meant that they would remain unmarried and vulnerable. Hearing of the poor man’s plight, Nicholas decided to help him, but being too modest to help the man in public (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man’s house. When the father found out, he went to see Nicholas, to thank him. But Nicholas told him, “It is not me you should thank. It is God alone.”

Our Saint Nicolaus – our Santa Claus – is celebrated in households all over the world for his generous heart and more: he is a combination of Saint, Judge, Magician, Gift-giver, example of generosity and love.

What do you think of when you think about Santa Claus? What is so great about him? (the element of surprise; he always comes; generosity; why does he give us gifts; he knows us….)

The generosity that Santa shows to us does replicate the bringing of gifts by the Magi. lnstead of coming on a sleigh from the North Pole, they travel with camels through the desert of the East. But just like Santa, the Wisemen (or magi) know exactly what to bring the baby, born to be our savior.

Giving is a demonstration of our faith, as Saint Nicholaus said, “it is not me you should thank, but God alone.” You see, Christianity at its roots is based on the acknowledgement that we have been blessed by God- blessed by the gift of grace in our lives – and the only way we can respond to God’s gifts to us, is to give of ourselves to others. lt is the commandment of Jesus in Matthew 22:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is Iike it: “You shall Iove your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

Jesus is the reason we give gifts – as a response to the gift he is to us!

Jesus gives us more than can fit into a box, more than can be wrapped up in a pretty package. Jesus gives us the ability to Iove and celebrate, the opportunity to share ourselves with one another. That is indeed a gift! We do not need to spend money to show how much we love one another. We do not need to out-spend, out-impress, out-do everyone to prove our worth, our value or our love. Our gift is our self – our time, our attention, our talents. Our presence (p-r-e-s-e-n-c-e), not our presents. (p-r-e-s-e-n-t-s).

Besides, Jesus is enough of a gift for us all. Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. Jesus – God’s presence among us – is a GIFT to us all, as stated in the gospel of Luke chapter 2, verse 11: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

This Savior is born to YOU! And to me! To us, Jesus Christ is born. This Christmas let us give of ourselves in a way that honors the gift of Jesus Christ. Today, Jesus is born once again. Let us celebrate his birth with the generosity shown by Santa Claus each Christmas Eve, the generosity of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the generosity of a heart filled with love. Let us celebrate his birth in the spirit of Jesus’ life: with joy, love, acceptance of and compassion toward others, and may we rejoice in our salvation! The salvation that comes wrapped in the package of a baby.

Let us Pray:

Let us not wrap, stack, box, bag, tie, tag, bundle, sear, keep Christmas. Christmas kept is liable to mold. Let us give Christmas away, unwrapped, by exuberant armfuls. Let us share, dance, live Christmas unpretentiously, merrily, responsibly with overflowing hands, tireless steps and sparkling eyes. Christmas given away will stay fresh-even until it comes again. ln the name of the child born to us today, we pray. Amen!

– Adapted, Let Me Not Keep Christmas by Linda Felver, A Book of Christmas, Nashville: Upper Rooms, 1988, p. 48