“…I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah.” In the name of the one God, creator, redeemer and sanctifier” Amen.

Most recently, year after year, the day following feasting on turkey in November, our society begins to display signs of the Christmas season. We began to hear Christmas music on the radio, see store decorations in place, watch TV advertisements, merchandise sales are posted in the newspapers, and conversation entails what to get for relatives and friends and where to find the best deal. Currently, you do not have to go into a store and “shop until you drop.” You can shop online which reduces enduring long lines, pushing through the crowd to grab that sweater before somebody else get it, or pulling through clothes heaped on top of a table in a pile. However, as each day goes by the excitement and rush grows bigger and bigger to get everything finished for the big day, December 25. You feel so good when you have finished your shopping, the household is adorned with Christmas decorations, and the beautifully wrapped gifts are ready for its perspective recipient.

Among the many joys during Christmas is the exchange of gifts given to someone you care about and love. This is also the time we are reminded to share with the destitute, the unemployed, the sick, the disenfranchised, those who have no place to call home or those who are in any kind of pain. For instance, the other day on Connecticut Avenue at the Metro station, a man who appeared to be homeless was voicing his appeal for assistance for pocket change by exclaiming “I am not a savage but a man who is hungry” as people were passing by him quickly. I think this is even more reason for the need of Charlie’s Place and its volunteers. Christmas is a heightened time within the year for sharing and giving to others.

Oh, wait a minute, there is one unwrapped gift. Generations to generations share this gift as recipients. It is not found under a Christmas tree nor can it be obtained online. This gift given by God is for the homeless, for you, and for all the people of the Universe. There are no socioeconomic requirements or geographical boundaries attached in order to be a recipient.

Today we come together within the global faith community bonded together as shared recipients of a wonderful gift from God. Our gift from God was a child whose birth we joyously celebrate. We have heard the prophet Isaiah describe the holy child as “…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace of Peace.” The holy child offers justice and righteousness that is everlasting for the suffering, the lonely, the sick, the blind, the lame, and for us today in our broken world where cries for peace ring out within war torn counties. We are reminded that Jesus Christ, the Savior, is the true reason for the Christmas season.

The historical signs of the birth of the Savior was described by an angel appearing before shepherds in the fields saying, …"Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” The shepherds faithfully believed what they had heard from the angels, for they dropped everything and immediately went to find the holy child. The shepherds, considered to be among the low class and certainly not among the elite and powerful Jewish class, were actually the first witnesses to see and tell others of the arrival of Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

The day has come for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ who is God incarnate. Looking at Lucado’s perspective, God is now touchable, reachable, and approachable out of love for us and desire for us to have a personal relationship with our creator. (copied and adapted from The Gift for All People, Max Lucado, p.27)

We can be thankful and rejoice knowing that the presence of God is with us as a free unwrapped gift at Christmas time and always out of love. Carlo Carretto wrote, “God is made human in Christ…God becomes present to us with such a special presence…the invisible, intangible God is now visible and tangible in Christ.” (copied and adopted from Carlo Carretto, from The God Who Comes, in A Guide to Prayer, p.28.) We can join in with the angels and the shepherds and praise God saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace…!” being the recipients of this gracious unwrapped gift from God.

Let us pray: O almighty God, who by the birth of thy holy child Jesus hast given us a great light to dawn to upon our darkness: Grant, we pray thee, that in this light we may see light. Bestow upon us, we beseech thee, that most excellent Christmas gift of charity to all, that so the likeness of thy Son may be formed in us, and that we may have the ever brightening hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. (The Book of Worship, p. 32)