The Gift Exchange (09/04/2025)

Yesterday evening, I attended a meeting for catechists at our parish. As I sat there, waiting for the meeting to begin, I silently did a gift exchange with Christ. I gave Him my love and my time to share that with the youth of our parish, and He gave me the gift of His Spirit to help me along the way. It’s a tradition.

It’s a tradition that began in the 70s and that I’ve kept ever since. I was recruited to teach the youth, and while I said “yes”, I did so feeling completely inadequate. I remembered Paul’s Letter to the Romans and his questions: “How can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without one speaking?” (Romans 10:14-15) And I offered Christ my love and time, and He gave me the gift of His Spirit. And yearly, as I take up the role of catechist, my Savior and I have our gift exchange. It’s a tradition.

But my tradition has grown. I have come to recognize my needs day to day in so many other areas of my life. And I’ve learned to bring my Savior my love, my time, and my talents daily, and daily He gives me the gift of His Spirit to guide me, to grace me, to stir the LORD’s love within me that bubbles up and begs to be spent. It’s a tradition I know I need daily.

The LORD takes care of us if we are open to His help. As we continue this day on our journeys home to life in abundance with Him, let us open ourselves to the possibilities of life that begin with a simple gift exchange – we give that which the LORD asks of us – our love expressed in the expenditure of our time, talents and treasures – and we open ourselves to the LORD’s Spirit who stirs within us, guides us, graces us. Let us not put off for another day the good that can be done this day. Let us meet the LORD for the spiritual gift exchange. Let us make it a daily tradition.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.