Daily Reflections

Scripture:

1 John 4:19-5:4
Luke 4:14-22a

Reflection:

May You Enjoy Your Christmas Gifts

Do you have a gift yet to be delivered, one under the soon-to-disappear tree sitting unclaimed? Could there be a gift yet to be purchased for the person who lives at the furthest orbit of where your Christmas comet passes each year? Gift-giving is so much more complex than our commercials lead us to believe.

At Christmas, we speak of the great exchange. (Not returning unusable or ill-fitting gifts). God has given us a gift, the Beloved Son. In the fullness of time, in the perfect moment in God’s planning, the Word became flesh. That is a gift that transforms all of us and all of creation. We share the love of God with one another; we offer to God our response to the gift of love that we have so generously received.

This Thursday of the final week of the Christmas season, the week after the Epiphany, continues to be a time of gift-giving! All late gift givers pay attention!

We have celebrated that the Father’s love promised to Abraham and to his children forever is given. To the Chosen People, a long-awaited messiah has come. And we see that this gift is given to all people, all of creation is touched. The Holy Ones of Israel, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary and Joseph, Anna and Simeon stand before us giving God the gift of their trust; magi who come from the other ends of the earth and who do not know the God of Israel bring their gifts, and we must imagine that all creation wants to bend itself to Jesus the Word. Surely, a cherry tree can bow down at Joseph’s request, or a star can serve its maker as a celestial guide.

This week’s liturgy reverberates with joy and thanks for the gifts of God that we see in Word and manifestation! See how Jesus looks upon us with compassion, with loving mercy. This love sees the apostles tossed on the stormy sea, confused and then afraid. What would Jesus like to have done? He ends up climbing in the boat with his friends, ‘It is I. Do no be afraid!” That was what he could do, for the time being enough. Jesus shouts an affirmation of desire to the leper, “If you will do so, you can cure me.” “I do will it. Be cured.” And we learn that Jesus is the groom. Can we experience God’s love with the intimacy of our greatest human love? These are all gifts of the Word this week. And we have been fed with the 5,000 and cured with the people of Nazareth.

Maybe this year we will see an unopened gift somewhat hidden in the debris left behind from our Christmas celebration. Could it be the readings of this week? Gift-giving is complex! We might even be the person on God’s gift list this year who is at the utmost end of where that comet of Christmas celebration will end? And as the lights go out we hear God’s word, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me…to announce a year of favor from the Lord.” …and they marveled at the appealing discourse which came from his lips. What a gift to hear and to marvel. Is that what happened to Andrew and John when Jesus said to them, “Come and abide with me.”? Check the debris, ask Our Lord, is there perhaps one more small gift you would like me to have?

Fr. William Murphy, CP, is a member of Immaculate Conception Community in Jamaica, New York.