Receiving the Gift of God’s Generous Love
Christmas Day
Reflection By Scott Stoner
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. … And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
- John 1:1-5, 14
During our journey together through the season of Advent, we have focused on how we can practice generosity with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Our shared journey has brought us on this day to the celebration of the most generous gift of all—the gift of God’s love for us expressed through the birth of Christ.
At the beginning of our journey, Randall Curtis invited us to avoid the cultural distractions that pull us away from focusing on a life of generosity. Shannon Kelly showed us that practicing gratitude and practicing generosity are intimately connected. Wendy Claire Barrie reflected on how deeply Mary’s response to God modeled generosity. And Amy Cook inspired us with a fresh interpretation of the story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, illuminating how important it is to create space for one another’s stories.
Today we focus on receiving the gift of generosity—specifically God’s generous gift of the love of Christ. Listen anew to the opening words of John’s gospel. Use the lens of what we have learned about the root meaning of the word generosity—to give birth, to create a new beginning.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.”
The Word becoming flesh is the ultimate act of divine generosity—God giving birth to new possibilities for human life and relationship. In Christ, we see what generous love looks like in human form. His life, death, and resurrection demonstrate the lengths to which God will go to express love for us. This ultimate gift of incarnation engages every dimension of our being: it touches our hearts with love, connects our souls to the divine, strengthens our bodies through Christ’s own embodiment, and challenges our minds to comprehend such extravagant grace.
Here are some questions we invite you to take with you into the coming days and year: What meaning from John’s description of the Word becoming flesh might you carry forward with you as a reminder of God’s lavish gift of Love? How might you remain open to continue receiving the gift of God’s generosity?
It has been an honor to walk this journey with you. May God’s generosity and the Light of Christ continue to shine generously in and through you. May you continue to practice generosity in heart, soul, strength, and mind, offering to the world the same lavish love that God has so generously offered to you.