The unspeakable gift

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler.

One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left.

Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the coarse food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"

The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and to me. The Bible calls Him, "the unspeakable gift!"

The Three Camels

A long time ago, there were three camels named Erin, Nina and Penda. They wanted to travel to distant lands and visit wonderful places. The wise en who owned them rarely left their palace. Instead, they spent their days studying ancient writings, and their nights searching he stars.

The three cames prayed, "God please send us on an adventure."

And God answered their prayer. Several nights later, the wise men loaded their camels and headed west, towards a bright star. They traveled all through the night and into the next day until they reached an oasis. There, they rested in the shade of the big palm trees.

Erin said, "I think i know where we're going."

"Where?" asked the other two.

"My master, Melchior, placed a jar of myrrh on my back. This is a gift given tot a great general. A man willing to serve his people and give his life for them if necessary. His house will be large and he will have hundreds of servants and soldiers attending his needs."

The other camels nodded, "You may be right."

At sunset, they approached a large house.

"See, I told you," bragged Erin. "This must be the general's house."

The three wise men spent the evening with the general who provided them with delicious food and entertainment. The camels were treated kindly as well. After dark, they talked with the animals in the stable.

"Who lives here?" asked Erin. "He must be a very great man."

"He is y master General Kadar", said a donkey. "He is a great warrior and faithful servant to his King."

The camels went to to sleep, honored to visit such a great man's home. The next morning the wise men continued the journey. After traveling all morning, they stopped at another oasis to rest.

"My master did not leave his gift with General Kadar", said Nina.

"Neither did mine," said Erin. "I must have been wrong".

"I think I know where were are going," said Pends.

"Where?" asked the other two.

"My master , Balthazar, loaded a chest full of gold on my back," said Penda. "Gold is a gift given to a king. This king must live in a fabulous palace somewhere to the west.

The other camels nodded, "Your may be right."

After several more days they arrived at king Herod's palace. The wise men stayed in the palace as the King's guests. In the stable, the camels were given water, food, and a place to sleep.

"See, I knew we were visiting a Kin,", bragged Penda.

The other camels said. "You were right."

But the next morning, the wise men continued their journey without leaving any of their gifts.

"I don't understand," said Penda. "If not a king, then who?"

"I think I know where were are going," said Nina.

"Where?" asked the other tow.

"My master, Gaspar, Put a container filled with sweet-smelling frankincense on my back," said Nina "Frankincense is the gift given to God. I believe we are going to a great temple. There will be many people offering their gifts and prayers to God."

The other camels nodded, "You may be right."

Later that day, they came to the great temple in Jerusalem.

"See, I knew we were visiting a temple," bragged Nina.

The other camels said, "You were right."

But after a short time, they mounted their camels and continued the journey. It was nighttime as they approached a small town called Bethlehem. The great star led them to a very small house.

The three wise men knocked on the door. A man named Joseph greed them.

"we have traveled many miles to visit the new king," said Balthazar.

"We followed his star," added Gaspar.

"We want to worship him," said Melchior. "Is he here?"

Joseph called to his wife, "Mary, bring Jesus here. He has some visitors." Mary appeared in the doorway, holding a small child. "This is Jesus," said Mary.

The three wise men knelt down in front of Jesus ad worshiped him.

TEACH THE CHILDREN

This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.

He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.

He then answered me with a simple statement.

"TEACH THE CHILDREN!"

I was puzzled; what did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said,

"Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle.

"Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR.

"Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE.

"Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree.

"Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag an ornament of himself.

"Teach the children that I, Santa Clause symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF.

"Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said,

"Teach the children that God so loved the world that HE gave HIS begotten SON..."

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

"Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy BABE and presented HIM with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree.

"Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL.

"Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL.

"Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return."

Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said,

"Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship HIM, our LORD, our GOD."

Silent Night

In the winter of 1818 at St. Nicholas' Church in Obendorf, a village not far from Salzburg, Joseph Mohr, assistant to the priest, was faced with something of a dilemma. It was only days before Christmas, and the church organ, so vital in providing music for the services, was broken. Since the repairman was not a village local, it would be months before the organ could be put back into working condition...by which time, Christmas would be long past. Mohr's solution to this problem resulted in one of the most popular Christmas carols of all time.

Two years previous, Mohr had written a simple poem, easily understood by the people of the village, which expressed the wonder of the birth of the Christ Child. Mohr had asked his friend, Franz Gruber, the organist at St. Nicholas' Church, to compose music for his poem, so that they might sing it together using the accompaniment of a guitar.

Thus, the newly-composed carol "Silent Night..." was first performed during the Christmas Eve midnight service held at St. Nicholas' Church on December 24, 1818. It did not, however, instantly receive the worldwide recognition that it has since garnered. It was not until some years later, in 1825 when Carl Mauracher was rebuilding the broken organ, that a handwritten copy of the words and accompanying sheet music was discovered in the organ loft.

Mauracher was from an area in the Tyrol Mountains where there were many traveling folk choirs who performed throughout Europe. He returned with the carol to his home and it soon became a favored song with the traveling singers. Thus, did the popularity of "Silent Night, Holy Night" spread as these choirs journeyed the countryside, singing their songs.

There are no church or diocesan records to back up this claim. Also, there is a silly tale of mice eating the organ bellows (easily repaired). However, this is a nice song.

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth