Christmas,
what do I remember and hold cherish about this great holiday when Christ our
Lord was born for us? Last year right
after Thanksgiving my dad passed away and last year’s Christmas seemed empty
and my concern was for my mother. This
year seems a little easier, as time and our Good Lord begins to heal all loss
and hurt. But, what I recall and cherish
the most is the greatest lesson I could have learned about Christmas and it was
from my father.
When I was a little boy my dad would
leave me a special gift on my night stand so that when I woke up it would be
the first gift I would see and the first gift I would open. My father was born on a small island off the
coast of Croatia; a little place called Susak
or as it is called in Italian, Sansego. My dad grew up poor, his dad was a farmer and
wine maker so when Christmas came along my grandfather would fill paper bags
with fruits, all kinds of nuts, and small chocolates for his children and leave
those by their bed so when they woke Christmas morning they would have gifts.
My dad did the same for me and my
brothers. And I could not wait to get
into that bag when I woke up. My dad
already awake would be waiting for me in the kitchen. I would rush in there and we would exchange a
Christmas greeting and kiss and then I would sit at the table and share with
him whatever was in the bag. My dad use
to be able to open the walnuts with his bare hands, crush them with his palm
like they were paper and that would always make me wonder and look at him as
being strong and manly. We would not
talk much just simply enjoy the quiet, the good fresh fruits, nuts, and
chocolates. Once we were done my dad
would start to pray from his little prayer book and he would say the prayers
out loud, he always prayed that way, and I loved to listen to him pray. He would start off praying in Croatian, then
a little Italian, and he would also sing Christmas carols.
I loved those moments and cherished
them as the greatest Christmas gift that I could have received from my
dad. Don’t get me wrong I loved to open
my toys and games, but none of them every truly felt as good as when I sat with
my dad eating the fruits, nuts, and chocolates out of a paper bag and then
praying.
I ask you, what is your Christmas
like, what are your stories? I imagine
it is not as much to do with the presents as it is with spending time with your
family and friends. This is what Christ
gives us this Christmas, two things, He gives Himself to us and then He gives
us each other. Remember Jesus when you
go home, when you look at your spouse, your children, and children remember
your parents, your siblings, and everyone in your family, they are the precious
gift that God has given you, greater than anything you can wrap in a box or put
in a card. I will give you a little
homework even though school is out. When
you return home either tonight or tomorrow, when you open your gifts, whatever
is your custom take two to three minutes of quiet and prayer and reflect on
Christ in the manger, with Mary and Joseph – the Holy Family. Thank Jesus for His gift of grace to you and
thank Him for your family, before you open any gift, because without Christ
first, the other gifts have no meaning.
Remember that this day unto you a
Savior is born, Christ the Lord, our brother, our friend, our Lord and God
right in our very homes, right in our very hearts, God bless you and Merry
Christmas. FJ
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