In this age of consumerism “keeping up with the Jones’es” and the advertising which exhorts parents to spend $100’s on their loved ones it is too easy to lose sight of the reason for the season. Indeed many people have no understanding of what Christmas is really about. The following poem reflects on this topic
The Greatest Gift of Christmas Morn
Jesus my saviour, you came to us, Emmanuel, to earth
Not in glory, but in a manger, in humbleness of birth
They came to see you; the barn was your holy turf
The wise men came with gold, frankincense, and myrrh
The angels spoke to the shepherds, it is you they prefer
The shepherds though fearful, went, they did to you defer
LORD again we come to Christmas, life it is a fast frenzied blur
We hear your call stop and come into my presence hearts astir
To this world we announce a son is given, a child is born
Jesus is his name, in his light we face a new dawn
Your word, your truth too many needs to be borne
This world needs to hear it, like a resounding horn
In the commercialism of their world people are worn
Yours, the greatest gift, needs to be opened Christmas morn
Mark Maffey December 2004