The gift story

I was frustrated. I had spent the entire day shopping for friends who were very well off and could not find anything appropriate. I'd gone from store to store hoping that something would jump out at me, but nothing did. I went home feeling I had wasted a whole day.

The next day, I stopped by the local grocery store to buy some supplies for myself for Christmas. When I got to the checkout counter, I waited patiently as a young mother in front of me emptied her very full cart. Why do I always pick the lines with the fullest baskets? I asked myself, impatient to move on. Seems to be a talent I wish I could lose!

I watched, a little annoyed, as the mother continued to empty the cart. It was mostly full of groceries, but I noticed a couple toys as well. When it came time for her to pay, she handed the cashier a card. "This isn't enough," the cashier informed her as she swiped the card. The young woman quickly pulled out another card and swiped it. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I noticed she kept swiping the same card. "Debit?" asked the cashier. "Yes," she said and swiped it again.

I looked away, waiting for her to find what she needed. The woman rummaged through her purse without success. I heard her say, "My paycheck must not have come through yet," and saw her searching for money. Her hands were visibly shaking. I listened attentively now, as the woman found a couple twenties and handed them over. "You still owe twenty-one forty eight," the cashier said. The mother put her purse down and looked at her cart. Then she began pulling toys out of her cart and putting them back on the conveyer belt.

I suddenly realized what was up, and my inner spirit was awakened. I gave it a quick thought, and then took out my wallet, pulling out twenty-two dollars. I handed it to the cashier, who looked at me with surprise. I nodded towards the mother so the cashier knew it was to pay the balance. The cashier turned to the mother and said, "Honey, she's got the rest and she's paying for you." The mother stopped and slowly turned, looking at me with surprise. "You don't have to do this," she said quietly.  "I know," I replied. "I'm doing it because I want to. Merry Christmas." She turned away to put the toys back in her cart.

The cashier punched a button and the drawer opened. As she handed me my change, I noticed that the young mother was wiping tears from her cheeks. The cashier noticed too, and tears formed in her eyes. "You don't often see this," she said to the shopper behind me. "I've been a recipient of much kindness over the years," I told the cashier. "Now it's my chance to pass it on."  The mother turned and thanked me again. Then she pushed her cart forward and disappeared.

When I left the story after my own purchases, I felt that I was the one who had been given a gift. I had spent a whole day shopping for people who needed nothing. God let me find the person who really needed a gift. When I gave that gift to the mother who ran out of money, I felt that it was rather I who was gifted.

God gives us opportunities to give true gifts. We need just be open and ready.

The gift we already have...

The last of the "O" antiphons is, O come Emmanuel!

This novena asks every single day for the messiah to come. That is because the "O" antiphons are all about desire and longing. And yet, the last O antiphon actually tells us that God is already here, as that is the meaning of Emmanuel!

Revelation reaffirms that thought. Rev. 21:3 says I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. God will dwell with them and they will be God's people and God will always be with them as their God.

Perhaps our Christmas gift is light, so that we understand that we have something precious already. Maybe our cry should be, help us see that gift. Help us realize our bounty.

For is it not true that when we ask for something we tend to forget what we already have?

So much of our Christmas in the United States revolves around gift giving. Not that that is bad. It just sets us in the mind that we need more, that we should be getting.

It would be wonderful if we could understand that Christmas is all about receiving, that the real and lasting gift is the gift of grace, of peace, of God already within.

Let us come before the Infant Jesus this year and pray, not that he comes, but that we open and realize that he is already here, in our hearts!

Giving a true gift

The following is a true story shared with me:

"I was frustrated. I had spent the day shopping for friends who were rich and famous and had it all. I didn't know what to get them. I went from store to store hoping that something would jump out at me, but nothing did. I went home feeling I had wasted a whole day.

The next day, I stopped by the local store to buy some supplies for myself for Christmas. When I got to the checkout counter, I waited patiently as a young mother in front of me emptied her very full cart. Most of it was groceries, but she had gotten a couple of toys as well. When it came time for her to pay, she handed the cashier a card. "This isn't enough," the cashier informed her. The young woman pulled out another card and swiped it. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I noticed she kept swiping the same card. "Debit?" asked the cashier. "Yes," she said and swiped it again.

I looked away, but soon noticed she was rummaging through her purse. I heard her say, "My paycheck must not have come through yet," and saw her searching for money. Her hands were visibly shaking. I listened now, as the woman found a couple twenties and handed them over. It was not enough to pay the balance. "Twenty-one forty eight," the cashier said. The mother put her purse down and looked at her cart. Then she began pulling toys out of her cart and putting them on the conveyer belt.

Realizing what was up, I whipped out my wallet and pulled out twenty-two dollars. I handed it to the cashier, who looked at me with surprise. As I nodded towards the mother, she took my money. "Honey," she said to the mother, "she's got the rest and she's paying for you." The mother stopped and slowly turned. She looked at me with surprise and gratitude. "You don't have to do this," she said quietly.  "I know," I replied. "I'm doing it because I want to. Merry Christmas." She turned away to put the toys back in her cart.

The cashier punched a button and the drawer opened. As she handed me my change, I noticed that the young mother was wiping tears from her cheeks. The cashier noticed too, and tears formed in her eyes. "You don't often see this," she said to the shopper behind me. "I've been a recipient of kindness," I replied. "Now it's my chance to pass it on."  The mother turned and thanked me again. Then she pushed her cart forward and disappeared.

When I left, I felt that I was the one who had been given the gift. I had spent a whole day shopping for people who needed nothing. God let me find the person who really needed a gift. When I gave that gift to the mother who ran out of money, I felt that it was rather I who was gifted."

God gives us opportunities to give true gifts. We need just be open and ready.