December 22, 2021

“The smaller the gift, the greater the love.”

I heard this statement on an early morning radio broadcast; I was not fully awake, but gathered that the man being interviewed was wealthy, had found himself on the verge of clinical depression, and had consulted a therapist; in so doing, he had realized that he was lonely, and that the act of a friend offering to buy him a drink, (a gift of time and a listening ear), meant more to him than his wealth.

This led me to recall the incident concerning gifts recorded in both Mark and Matthew, where Jesus drew the attention of the disciples to a poor widow who had put her last two pennies in the temple collection box.

“I tell you that this poor widow put more in the offering box than all the others, for the others put in what they had to spare of their riches, but she, poor as she is, put in all she had – she gave all she had to live on.” Mk 12: 43-44.

I thought of small gifts I have received in this time of Covid 19 – a phone call from a friend or one of my children just checking on me – a friendly greeting from the man at the entrance to Sobeys, who was checking for masks and sanitizing carts – my daughter-in-law giving a much-needed haircut- a neighbour offering to push my heavy compost bin.

Thinking back further to meaningful Christmas gifts I have received – I recall the Christmas morning – probably 1948 or 1949 – when my younger sister and I found, under the tree, our old dolls dressed in new outfits knit by our mother. I know now what a loving gift of time that was, and she had managed to do it without our knowing. That same Christmas, our 2 brothers were sick with pneumonia and confined to bed (this was pre- penicillin.) Concern and love for them was very apparent as we carried our gifts upstairs to be opened together in their bedroom. It is the love I remember, not the gifts.

This Christmas as we celebrate God’s gift of love in Jesus, it is my prayer that we, as his followers, may be motivated daily to share his love through acts of loving kindness.

Carole Buckley is a retired physiotherapist who is married to Ron and the mother of four. She is a happy grandmother and gardener who enjoys reading.