CHRISTMAS REFLECTION: THE GIFTS OF THE SEASON
By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett, J.D.
Founder/President, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice
December 2021
We live in a consumer age. As a society we are focused on buying and selling, giving and receiving things that we want or think we need and/or think others want or need to enjoy life. The consumer age becomes most apparent at Christmastime each year. While we can enjoy the sights and sounds of the season, many are focused on the hustle and bustle of buying and selling. We can get flustered with the frenzy of shopping for and giving gifts. Especially in America, we seem to be so focused on shopping for the “perfect” gifts for someone and hoping someone will give us the gifts we are hoping for. But sadly, our focus on shopping for gifts has shifted us from the true gifts of the season: love, peace, and joy.
The gift of love has the unique quality of returning to us more than what we give out. So the more we love, the more we show love, and the more we embrace those in need of love, the more we feel love and feel loved. While some may express love by sharing purchased gifts, love does not come from a package. It comes from a person – and a person focused on loving another person. During Christmas, we each have an opportunity to share our love in personal ways – a thoughtful gesture, a kind word, a hug when needed, and so much more than can never be purchased. And, in the context of Christmas, these expressions of love have a deeper meaning and purpose.
The gift of peace is both free and freeing. We tend to think of peace as the absence of conflict or challenge. But peace is not really connected to external contexts or situations. It has everything to do with our internal and eternal life. It is the Lord that gives us the peace that passes understanding. And with that peace we can not only understand but relate and persevere. That peace allows us to more fully see and experience the world and people around us, and gives us confidence in facing challenges and difficult circumstances. Peace frees us from the chains of our own circumstances.
The gift of joy is not just a sense of happiness but is an outgrowth of love and peace. When we love deeply, and when we can maintain that peace that passes understanding, then we can truly have joy in all circumstance, even in the midst of trials. Since God works all things for the good – even those things most difficult for us – we can have joy in knowing that even hard circumstances are temporary and ultimately will be worked out for the good. And we can pass on that joy to others. Our joy can inspire others to also be joyful, share that joy, and seek the source for that joy.
These gifts of the season rarely come in gift wrapped packages or deliveries at our doorstep. They come in the form of visiting with loved ones, supporting a friend, healing from an illness or injury, overcoming a challenge, learning to be in the moment, or simply having some time to rest and recuperate from the busy season. It is through these and countless other experiences that we can truly feel that we have given and received the gifts of the season.
Despite the consumerism of Christmastime, Christmas is completely the opposite of that. It has nothing to do with buying gifts. It has everything to do with receiving the ultimate gift – Jesus Christ. And through Christ we receive the gifts of the season – love, peace, and joy -- that we can continue to receive and share with others throughout the year.