this message with the alternative story of an over-eating, old bearded man in
red pajamas coming to our homes via flying reindeer and squeezing down
chimneys laden with gifts only for good children, we have only ourselves to
blame when the magic of Christmas dies with childhood itself.
“Is it not magical enough that God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son to come to earth, humbly born in the poverty of a Bethlehem
stable, while wise men followed a star signifying the birth of a Messiah? Is it
not magical enough that an angel announced to Mary that her virgin birth
would present the world with a son who would set the souls free of all those
who loved and believed in Him? Is it not magical enough that Christ would
fulfill the ancient prophecies to be crucified by man, only to be resurrected by
God?
“Tell children the real story of Christmas so that when they reach the age
of reason they will believe in the truth of that baby who saved the world, and
won’t be disappointed in a lie about a fat man who comes down the chimney.”
(BMH)
charity begins with repentance
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” You sometimes see this
saying from Gandhi on bumper stickers. In other words, if we want a wiser
and more loving world, the first thing we need to do is to become wiser and
more loving ourselves. But how? What is the first thing we need to do? In a
word: repent.
Repentance isn’t just a one-time exercise, but must be done again and
again at the beginning of each new stage of our spiritual development. Charity
isn’t something you do just once, and neither is the repentance that precedes
it. Continual improvement implies continual repentance.
Attending to the defects in our own character is our primary responsibility.
As the ancient proverb quoted by the Lord says: “Physician, heal yourself!”
(Luke 4:23) Then we will be in a position to help others be healed of the evils
and falsities afflicting them – and thus do our part in the healing of the world.
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord said: “Remove the beam from your
own eye first, then you will be able to see to remove the splinter from your
neighbor’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5)
Notice why we are to remove the beam from our own eye first; it is in order
that we might be better able to help others. This is why on airplanes they tell
you to put your own oxygen mask on first if there’s an emergency, and then
help any children or others who need help putting on theirs.
Repentance is the first of charity because without it we cannot truly be
charitable. Before we can do good to others, wisely and from pure motives, we
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