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A Christmas to remember

by Wayne Mason, Chaplain, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice

It was Christmas Eve and I was pastoring a church in downtown Denver. Plans were in place that our family would travel to Kansas following the Christmas Eve service to celebrate Christmas with family. Early in the evening, I received a call that one of our members had died and they needed me to help with the family. The long anticipated trip to Kansas was cancelled, and we wondered how we would celebrate Christmas at home. ​

We checked the pantry and the freezer to see what we could come up with. It was pretty bare because we had planned to be gone. We did have the ingredients for enchiladas. It wasn’t our normal Christmas fare, but for our family it became one of our favorite Christmas meals and memories.

An unorthodox meal for us was used to celebrate an unorthodox birth for all who would believe. Jesus was born in a stable, a shelter for animals, to an itinerant couple, Mary and Joseph. Shepherds and angels came to celebrate the birth of a boy who was destined to die on a cross a few decades later. He would pay a price that was owed by each of us.

An unorthodox birth – absolutely! A valuable birth – unquestionably! Jesus, Savior, was born to deliver HOPE to everyone who would believe in him and follow after him. We often get caught in all the trappings, traditions and advertising around the Christmas holiday. This year let’s do something different, even unorthodox, to reinvest in the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus, born to save you and me from our sins.

Scripture: Luke 1:5-2:40 tells the whole story of this unorthodox birth. Take some time to read it this Christmas.

Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for giving the gift of Jesus. Forgiveness for our sins was only possible through this generous gift of yours. It cost you so much. We are grateful and want to give our lives back to you through Jesus. Amen.”

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