A gift for Jesus, washing his feet

This is the season of gift giving. Many people are busy purchasing gifts for family and friends. Since I am blessed with a wife, Pat, who takes on this task in our household, I am left free to wonder about giving and thought today about what to give Jesus. When Jesus was a baby, the Three Kings gave him Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Now that Jesus has grown up, died and been resurrected and we know him as the Son of God, one of three persons in the One God, others gifts are in order. Now that we know more about Jesus we can see what he would want as a gift.

Reflecting on the Gospels, it becomes clear what Jesus wants for Christmas. In the story, Jesus tells us in Mathew 25, about the Judgment of Nations and he is quite explicit of what he wants. The nations and an organization that gave food to the hungry, comfort to those sorrowing, shelter to the homeless and other corporal works of mercy are told by the King that on Judgment Day that: “Whatsoever you did for one of my brothers and sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.” Jesus said clearly throughout his life on earth that he came especially for the poor and those in need.

As I look around at the blessed ones of Jesus today (Blessed are the poor!), I see they need beds to sleep on and refrigerators and stoves to preserve and prepare food. Many landlords no longer offer a stove and refrigerator with a rental and there are so many requests for beds that we need to buy new, inexpensive ones. We give $125 vouchers for appliances and are blessed to have a used appliance dealer that will give anyone with a voucher a decent appliance for $150 or less. New beds cost our conference around $100 when we purchased them via the St. Vincent De Paul (SVDP) store. When a parish conferences runs out of money, as I heard today one just did, we need to stop making home visits and giving vouchers.

The Archdiocese is sitting on 1.1 million dollars realized from sale of Church properties in North Central Milwaukee. The donors gave to these closed Churches for the mission of the Church in these neighborhoods. Perhaps Jesus is saying to Archbishop Listecki and other officials who control the money, please give it to those who need stoves, refrigerators, beds and food in these neighborhoods of greatest need.

I know what to give Jesus for Christmas, 1.1 million dollars from the Archdiocese for appliances, beds, food and other necessary items for survival for God’s Blessed ones. I will ask the Archbishop, the Corporation Council and the parish advisory group of the parish where the money is being held, to help to give Jesus the gift he most desires. If the Church gives Jesus this gift, I cannot wait to see what he gives us.

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