My Gifts to Jesus
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Saturday, January 03, 2009 10:57 AM
Tomorrow at Mass, we will celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. Our gospel reading from Matthew will share the remarkable narrative of the event we commemorate:
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Typically at this time of the year, I find myself making long lists of resolutions. They range from the noble (“find more time for community service”) to the inane (“grow my hair out” or “cut all my hair off”). This year, I have yet to finalize (and thus break) my list of resolutions. But what I’ve been contemplating the past few days is Matthew’s gospel that we will read tomorrow and thinking about its place in my own life.
How overjoyed am I at my chance to visit with the child and Mary his mother, either in prayer, in Adoration or at Mass? Do I make regular time for visits with Jesus outside of my Sunday obligation?
How reverently do I prostrate myself and do him homage when I am coming into his presence? Am I distracted, running late, or worried about what my kids are up to?
What treasures do I bring to the Christ child? To answer this question well, I need to truly assess the treasures that lie within me - surely the loving God who made me knows them, but have I stopped to ask myself if I truly bring honor to Jesus with those gifts? Each of us have gifts within us that can take the place of the gold, frankincense and myrrh.
One of my gifts is the ability to care for my family - by doing that with a humble and loving heart, my service to them can become one of my gifts to Jesus. Another of my gifts is my love for writing. Although I so frequently fall short of the measure I set for myself, does what I write bring glory to Jesus, draw others nearer to him, and shine the light on him rather than on myself?
As we go off to Mass this weekend and celebrate the Epiphany, I invite you to reflect upon your own gifts and how you will share them with Jesus this year. Please remember that no gift is too small if given with a heart filled with love. Do you celebrate the Epiphany in a special way with your family?
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