Week 5 - Personal Reflection

The Best Story Ever Told – The Birth of Jesus Christ

“For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you, you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger,”

Luke 2:11-12

What is the best story of Christmas you have ever heard? I wonder how many of us would immediately reply, “The story of Jesus’ birth? Or would we say, “The Night before Christmas” or It’s a Wonderful Life” or even “Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer.?”

For as long as I can remember Christmas was always a wonderful holiday in my family. Although we went to church and heard the Christmas Gospel, the big deal was that stack of presents that Santa left under the tree. Christ’s presence in the world was pretty much forgotten … PRESENTS were the big thing! So, for many years, my family had a mistaken idea of why Jesus’ birth should be the best story ever told.

When I grew up and married into a large family, the weeks prior to Christmas Day, were hectic and spent shopping for gifts for our 15 nieces and nephews, their parents, our parents, and each other. So, the stack of presents grew. Finally, our children came into our lives, and we tried to buy them everything their hearts desired. But at some point in time, we realized that the PRESENT mentality was not what we should be celebrating, but rather we should be celebrating the birth of Jesus and His PRESENCE in our lives.

Our children got involved in the live nativity at church and became very

excited about presenting to the other parishioners the story of Christ’s birth

and the real gift of Christmas. We began having a real birthday cake for Jesus

and even sang “Happy Birthday to Jesus, with the children taking turns to blow out the big white candle. Through these and many other activities centered on Jesus’ birth, our children began to understand the real and best story ever told, that our Lord was born in a humble manger; that His mother was a woman of great faith, that He was surrounded by poor shepherds and that He truly was a gift from God.

My heart felt very warm when my daughter decided that her sons should have only three gifts for Christmas, explaining that that was what Jesus received from the Wise Men. When my sons encouraged their places of employment to collect and distribute gifts for the needy, I knew that they remembered that best story ever told them.

This story about Jesus’ birth teaches us so much and it is easy to apply its teachings when there are so many people in our community who need our unconditional love and help.

If we start to think now about how we can help others to see Jesus’ birth as the greatest story ever told, our blessing from God will be more than we can imagine.

Questions

1.  Is the story of Jesus’ birth the best story you have ever heard? Why or why not?

2.  How can we bring His story to others?

3.  What are some Christmas alternatives to presents that will help you and your family see Christ’s PRESENCE?