Dec
03
2015
0
By Anonymous (not verified)
Every Christmas time, I get frustrated.
I'm a perfectionist in many ways, and I always feel as though a gift needs to be perfect. I want to find just the right thing for the people I love. Unless I get the perfect present, I might as well not have bothered.
It's actually a terrible attitude to have, but it means I have thought a fair amount about the perfect gift. What is the perfect gift?
I think the perfect gift would be:
Something useful, practical, but also beautiful.
Well-made; well-constructed.
Good for them, in an ideal world, as well as something that would satisfy the deepest longings of their heart.
Something that suits their personality and answers a unique need.
Something that says, "I love you, and want the best for you, now and forever."
It's a tall order. But, fortunately, at least one such gift exists.
It's the very first Christmas gift. The perfect gift is Jesus Christ.
Jesus came into the world to save us. God who is Beauty, Truth, Goodness, Being, Love itself took on flesh and became man. Jesus is perfect, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the unblemished sacrifice. His coming is good for all of us, for by the Incarnation, humanity is opened out onto divinity. We may come to share in the divine life.
Jesus is the perfect gift, and the Source of all other good gifts. To give Him to your loved ones is the very best of gifts.
But how can we give the gift of Jesus?
Well, we can pray for our family, friends, and enemies. We can evangelize, offering the faith through the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can become holy ourselves, and so mediate Jesus to all those around us.
All those are good, necessary ways to share the perfect gift with those we love. But there's another way: having Masses said for your family, friends, and enemies, especially through enrolling them in a spiritual benefit society like the Association of Marian Helpers. Enrolled members share in the spiritual benefits of the Holy Masses, prayers, and good works of the Marians.
The Church in the United States has seen the power of such enrollments through the life and work of Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap. (1870-1957). Known during his own lifetime as the "Miracle-Worker of Detroit," many of the cures and other miracles with which he was associated occurred after he had enrolled people in the spiritual benefit society run by the Capuchin Fathers. Those who enrolled their name with a small donation would be remembered in the prayers and Masses of the Capuchin Friars around the world, explain the Capuchins.
Through this ministry of Fr. Casey, the power of prayer and the Holy Mass was made manifest. Jesus Christ was allowed in a special way into the lives of many people through these enrollments. The same Holy Mass, the same Jesus Christ, is welcomed in a special way into many lives through enrollment in the Association of Marian Helpers for a small donation to help support the ministries of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.
If knowing about such an enrollment would be a consolation and encouragement in times of trouble, send them one of our enrollment cards. If they would not welcome such an enrollment if they knew about it, then simply enroll them without a card.
Give the greatest gift imaginable to your family, friends, and enemies. Enroll them in the Association of Marian Helpers, and let all the graces of God flood into their lives.
I'm a perfectionist in many ways, and I always feel as though a gift needs to be perfect. I want to find just the right thing for the people I love. Unless I get the perfect present, I might as well not have bothered.
It's actually a terrible attitude to have, but it means I have thought a fair amount about the perfect gift. What is the perfect gift?
I think the perfect gift would be:
Something useful, practical, but also beautiful.
Well-made; well-constructed.
Good for them, in an ideal world, as well as something that would satisfy the deepest longings of their heart.
Something that suits their personality and answers a unique need.
Something that says, "I love you, and want the best for you, now and forever."
It's a tall order. But, fortunately, at least one such gift exists.
It's the very first Christmas gift. The perfect gift is Jesus Christ.
Jesus came into the world to save us. God who is Beauty, Truth, Goodness, Being, Love itself took on flesh and became man. Jesus is perfect, the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the unblemished sacrifice. His coming is good for all of us, for by the Incarnation, humanity is opened out onto divinity. We may come to share in the divine life.
Jesus is the perfect gift, and the Source of all other good gifts. To give Him to your loved ones is the very best of gifts.
But how can we give the gift of Jesus?
Well, we can pray for our family, friends, and enemies. We can evangelize, offering the faith through the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We can become holy ourselves, and so mediate Jesus to all those around us.
All those are good, necessary ways to share the perfect gift with those we love. But there's another way: having Masses said for your family, friends, and enemies, especially through enrolling them in a spiritual benefit society like the Association of Marian Helpers. Enrolled members share in the spiritual benefits of the Holy Masses, prayers, and good works of the Marians.
The Church in the United States has seen the power of such enrollments through the life and work of Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap. (1870-1957). Known during his own lifetime as the "Miracle-Worker of Detroit," many of the cures and other miracles with which he was associated occurred after he had enrolled people in the spiritual benefit society run by the Capuchin Fathers. Those who enrolled their name with a small donation would be remembered in the prayers and Masses of the Capuchin Friars around the world, explain the Capuchins.
Through this ministry of Fr. Casey, the power of prayer and the Holy Mass was made manifest. Jesus Christ was allowed in a special way into the lives of many people through these enrollments. The same Holy Mass, the same Jesus Christ, is welcomed in a special way into many lives through enrollment in the Association of Marian Helpers for a small donation to help support the ministries of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception.
If knowing about such an enrollment would be a consolation and encouragement in times of trouble, send them one of our enrollment cards. If they would not welcome such an enrollment if they knew about it, then simply enroll them without a card.
Give the greatest gift imaginable to your family, friends, and enemies. Enroll them in the Association of Marian Helpers, and let all the graces of God flood into their lives.
TY151
