The Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Christmas.
Feast of our Lord. Holy Day of obligation.
Galatians 4:4-7; Matthew 2:1-12.
Read Matthew 2:1-12
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
How well do you receive gifts?
That might strike you as an odd question. Who wouldn’t want a gift, right? But sometimes we might not trust the gift because we think there is an ulterior motive: “What’s in it for him…what does she really want…?” Sometimes we might feel unworthy of a particular gift. Sometimes we are afraid because we know that a particular gift demands some type of response from us. Some gifts come with responsibilities which change our lives forever.
This season is understood by the world as one of gift giving, and of course this is true, but not the whole truth. In reality, this feast is all about gift receiving, and the ultimate gift at that. Children are always a gift from God. Today we celebrate the gift of a very special child – God Himself!
Three kings from afar travel many miles to pay homage and humble themselves before the King of Kings, while another king begins his secret plans to reject this King to hold on to his (comparatively) small amount of power. Two very different responses to the same gift.
Today unto us a child is born anew! Let us receive this gift with joy, knowing that it is unwarranted and rejoicing in the fact that the world, and our lives, will never be the same!