Father Chris – CHRISTMAS EVE / DAY 2021 - Homily

“What We Receive” 

Christmas has always been associated with ‘giving’. From the time we learned to walk and began to pull ornaments off the lower boughs of the Christmas tree, we discovered all kind of things were under there all wrapped up in paper: gifts! 
 
As our economies grew, so did our expenditures on these gifts to the point of excess, not necessarily of goodwill, but of good business as Scrooge would call it. The well-intentioned gifts became all too often material things, in place of more spiritual sentiments. Christmas soon became a time of ‘gifting’, even ‘re-gifting’! 
 
But Christmas is really more about the blessings of ‘receiving’: receiving the phone-call from a distant friend; the ‘Merry Christmas’ wish from a check-out clerk; the close hugs from spouse, children, parents, friends; receiving compliments for work well done from our teacher at end of term; a ‘zoom’ call from those we cannot connect with during the pandemic; the sidewalk shovelled by a generous neighbour; cheerful songs from carollers; receiving good news from the Dr. We receive so many non-material gifts, but often we may not recognize them as gifts. 
 
This Advent, we examined four stages of life. What might they be receiving today?  
Children are probably receiving hugs and kisses from grandparents, a ride on the new toboggan in dad’s arms. Then these children will receive ‘Love’.  
 
Hopefully, our teenagers and young adults will receive good grades, good feedback at work, maybe even some intriguing chats with parents and grandparents about their youth, what we used to call our ‘salad’ days. Then they will receive ‘Joy’.  
 
What of the adults, what might they receive? A hug and kiss under the mistletoe, confidence in the safety and good health of their families and loved ones, even just gas in the car and food on the table. Then they will have received ‘Peace’. 
 
Our elderly have already received the most wonderful gift: life itself, experiences beyond all measure, and love encountered even in their suffering. They will have received ‘Hope’, hope in the blessed life to come thanks to their Saviour, Jesus.   
 
 
But the greatest gift of all comes from a humble child today: the keys to paradise! Perhaps we have forgotten in our busyness of shopping and meal preparation that we have received the ‘sacred’ secret code to life here on earth which promises us a life in the next which will be much more relevant than this material world, profoundly rich and abundant in love and heavenly graces beyond all telling.  
 
The truth is we have ‘received’ a most important gift from Jesus Christ which is so indescribable, so momentous, so heavy laden and expounding with love that we will never be able to fathom it, nor, frankly, be able to show our fullest gratitude for it.  
 
Yet, Christ welcomes us, wants us to receive him, just as we hold a fragile, little babe in our arms; but also receive him into our hearts without question or delay, to witness the power of his love in every aspect of our day to day existence, nourishing us spiritually, from today and until the glorious day we see him face to face.  
 
Peace, Joy, Hope and Love be with you all, this glorious Christmas Day.  
       
– Rev Fr Chris Tracey, Saint Joseph Parish, Saugeen Shores, Ontario