Finding the right gift

The trip to KLCC was well, good in the sense of being in the company of friends. But it was disappointing in that we noticed there were no Christmas carols being aired - just occasionally we caught a few of the traditional holiday songs about 'snowmen' and 'sleigh rides'. Actually we were not there to really 'shop' - after all, many of the shops sell designer labels. It was fun though to look at clothes and bags that run into the thousands of dollars! Well, after the big discount, they would still be a few hundred!

I went to a nearby mall yesterday to look for reasonable gifts. Actually someone pointed out that I seem to be practical in giving gifts - wanting to find things my family and friends can make use of, rather than just gifts that get stashed into a corner after a few days. So it meant not only scouting for bargains - but also making informed guesses about what each person might need.

Luke 1: 26 - 38

Today's reading reminds us that in order to bring forth Christ into the world, we first need to receive a 'gift' ourselves. We need to be open and emptied in order to allow God's Spirit to indwell us more and more fully. Mary, though confused and with some fear, stayed on long enough to say 'Yes', to consent to receiving in order that she might bring to birth the Christ child.

This is a season of gift giving, and receiving and we do make efforts to find good gifts for our loved ones. Perhaps the question might be : what gift do I seek from the Lord himself this Christmas? What form of gift of self do I want to offer him? This will imbue all our efforts to give and receive from one another with a deeper reality - the gifts we receive from God and those that we offer him.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel will come to thee O Israel!

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel will come to thee O Israel!