Christmas Exchanging Gifts (A Christmas Reflection on the Theology of the Priesthood)

I went home for the Christmas break on December 23, 2007. The surroundings were already filled with much anticipation for Christmas or perhaps most people already thought it was already Christmas. The festive mood of the season could be due to the great significance of the event or just a part of the usual practices embedded in our Christmas culture. How does the meaning of the celebration affect the faithful? What do we get in our contemplation of the Christmas event that may contribute to the growth of our Christian life and community?

We celebrate Christmas as a feast of our redemption and certainly not just the feast of a baby’s birth. Christmas portrays the profound mystery of the presence of Good with his people. The events that are connected with the mystery of incarnation are remembered, recalled and relived. There is really a great joy of coming to know that God shares with our humanity. The Christmas event presents the awesome mystery of God’s act of entering into human history. As human persons this event gives us dignity as well as encouragement to carry on Christ’s work here on earth. The incarnation event together with the resurrection could be set as the hinge through which we carry the different ministries and charisms in the church. Christ’s coming into the world gives a unifying value of the different levels of our participation in the life of the church.

The Lord Jesus, "whom the Father has sent into the world" (Jn 10:36) has made his whole Mystical Body a sharer in the anointing of the Spirit with which he himself is anointed. In him all the faithful are made a holy and royal priesthood; they offer spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ, and they proclaim the perfections of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. (PO, 2)

The prologue of St. John’s Gospel which is read in the mass during the day of Christmas describes Jesus Christ as the true light that enlightened all people. The emphasis then is not on the Christ who was once born but on the Christ who is the light shining on us now.

By gazing towards that person who is the central figure and whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, we can find a model par excellence on giving. The act of giving is understood by many as the spirit of Christmas. During Christmas we give or exchange gifts. But Jesus’ act of giving is not only about giving something, He who is the giver is Himself the gift. Such is the most amazing act of giving, a form of giving one’s life out of love. He says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). He has demonstrated this love on the cross. Thus, by looking at the face of Jesus in the manger, one could discover the link with Christ crucified. The whole of existence of Christ, therefore, is priestly — a life of self-offering for others and in behalf of others. Is it not an act raising our dignity that the Son of God is born as human to redeem the whole of humanity?

In the midst of merry-making during Christmas, I could not find any excuse to disregard what actually happened to that child born in the manger. As a follower of Christ, I must be moved by his love to become generous of myself. But how could I give a good reason for expecting to receive Christmas gifts when I am not the one celebrating the birthday? In our culture we practice giving presents to a birthday celebrant. Contemplating at Jesus born in a manger, I feel sad not to have anything to give as present. Unlike the magi, I have no gift to bring. Oh Lord, what can I give you this Christmas?

If celebrating Christmas is like celebrating anyone’s birthday, there must be an urgent longing deep inside us to give presents as we are drawn towards the example of the One whose birth we celebrate. But we may not have any possession to be worthy as a gift. If this is the case the best we can do is to allow ourselves to become the gift as the love of Jesus challenges us to be. In that sense, the offerer becomes the offering himself. We may not be able to lay down our lives, although not impossible. But self-offering could mean self-dedication and faithfulness to our vocation. It could also be a priestly act of offering oneself to the Lord, since we are called to participate in the one priesthood of Christ.

Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated: each of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teaches and rules the priestly people; acting in the person of Christ, he makes present the Eucharistic sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people. But the faithful, in virtue of their royal priesthood, join in the offering of the Eucharist. They likewise exercise that priesthood in receiving the sacraments, in prayer and thanksgiving, in the witness of a holy life, and by self-denial and active charity. (LG, 10)

Therefore, celebrating Christmas is an opportune time to renew our commitment to God. Jesus has set an example of self-giving. Now, it is our turn to emulate such way of giving so that an exchange of gifts may take place. As friends carry out exchanging gifts during Christmas, may we be able to exchange gifts with the Lord. The Lord has accomplished his part. Right now we are challenged to do our turn.