Christmas! My favorite time of the year. In the continuum of my lifetime, this will be my 80th Christmases Celebration. I had a couple as an infant, a few as a toddler, many as a small child, 5 or 6 as a teen and the bulk as an adult. Childhood Christmases were filled with dreams of sugar plum ferries, dolls, bicycles, roller skates and Santa Clause. Those were some of my favorite Christmases. There were carols like, "Jingle Bells," "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," "Frosty The Snow Man" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause." Every child should have these memory building experiences. Don't take those away from any of them!.
As I grew into adulthood, I think the very best Christmases were those when I realized it wasn't all about toys and presents and trees and lights...and Santa Clause. There was something more to this holiday. Something I came ro realize that the season. held for me something far more precious...the true wonder of the reason for this special day. I discovered the Christ Child! The little Babe lying in a manger became real to me. A tiny infant born all those years ago in a remote little town called Bethlehem as prophesied by early Prophets in the Old Testament. The Hymns "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," "O Holy Night"and "Away In A Manger" took on more meaning for me. Handell's Messiah tells the whole story and fills my soul with such amazing joy! Isaiah Prophesied many hundreds of years before His birth: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bare a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)
His name, as told to Joseph was to be Jesus. He was the son of God, born to Mary who was chosen by God, Himself to be the mother of His son She was a humble young girl, really, engaged to be married to Joseph, who was of the House of David. Together, they accepted the responsibilities told them by the Angel of God to be the parents of this spacial child. I cry when I hear the son "Mary, Did You Know?" I am in awe of that Holy woman.
I have thought and thought on many occasions what it must have been like to be the mother of the Christ Child. Having children of my own, I am aware of the responsibility that I have had to guide them and lead them and though I sometimes have failed to be 100% the proper Gospel Tutor for them, nevertheless, it is a humbling undertaking to do my part to help bring them back to their Father in Heaven, as I promised that I would do when I undertook my calling as "Mother."
To be the Mother of the Savior of the World? Oh, my! That must have been overwhelming! And God chose just the right young woman to do the job and just the right time for it to come to pass. "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the Inn." (St. Luke 2:7). "For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." (St. Luke 2:11-12)
God's gift to mankind...His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ...was the beginning of Christmas. It was literally, the First Christmas. We celebrate His birth every year on December 25th and offer to Him our gifts of devotion, love, praise and a lifetime of adoration. "O Come, Let Us Adore Him." Let us show a little more kindness to each other, a little more help wherever it is needed, a little more joy in the giving of ourselves to others, and a little moreLove for mankind and for our Savior this Christmas Season.
Children have their memories of the wonders of Christmas, as they should, but as adults, we have another wonder in our lives...the wonder of a loving Savior who was born on this day to bring to pass the culmination of His Father's plan to provide a Savior for His children. God bless us, every one and please, "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!"