Unwrapping the best gift

Did you make Christmas presents for your family this year? Half the fun of gifts is guessing what's inside. Even if you made a gift or bought it for someone else, after you wrap it, you feel excited just to look at the package!

Guessing what's in a Christmas package is John the Baptist's message in this week's Gospel (John 1:6-8,19-28). Before Jesus started teaching about God, John went around telling people to get ready. But just like guessing about Christmas gifts, no one could guess who John was talking about! Some even thought John was Jesus.

"No," John told them, "I'm just someone shouting, `Make straight the way of the Lord.' I can just baptize you with water, but there's someone coming after me who's so great, I don't even deserve to untie His shoes!"

When you're waiting for Christmas, you almost go crazy wondering if you'll get what you hope for. Since other people are wondering the same thing, you sometimes give them hints about your gifts to them.

John the Baptist was like a kid waiting for Christmas. He knew Jesus was coming soon, and he was so excited, he couldn't help giving out a few hints! He called Jesus "the one who's coming," and said Jesus was so great, John felt like a servant next to Him!

Sometimes, you get such a good hint that you guess what you're getting for Christmas -- or you make a mistake and let someone know what you're getting them! But even then, Christmas is still fun.

John knew that, too; so he gave such good hints about who Jesus was that anyone could figure it out if they tried! John said to look at the Torah, the Jewish Bible, where it was written that someone would yell "make straight the way of the Lord," just like John was doing, before the person came who would save the world.

Like a peek or a hint about a Christmas present, John was giving a big hint about Jesus' coming! You might get something you asked for for Christmas, but the people John met were about to get the best Christmas present of all: Jesus!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me to get as excited about you as I do about Christmas presents! Amen.

(12-12-96)

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