My First Four Christmas Poems (1997-2003)

The Greatest Chistmas Gift

The greatest Christmas gift is not gold rings,
Diamonds, silver watches, or nice sparkly things.
Not presents of green, red, purple, or blue,
With fancy ribbons and bows, and shiny too.

Not Scotch pine trees or mistletoe,
Nor turkey, nor holiday places to go.
Not caroling in the streets, great as that is,
Or two matching sweaters: hers and his.

Wonderful and good as all of these are,
Yet something else wondrous surpasses them far.
The Greatest of all the Gifts is Love,
Sent from God, from Heaven above.

Emanating from a lonely stall,
And shining out to reach us all.
Through spouses, friends, kin who touch us so,
Giving hope and joy, and helping us grow.

So I pause and thank God on this Christmas Eve,
For dear friends and family, my sorrows to relieve.
‘Tis such friends — who comfort, aid, and keep on giving,
That bless us with peace, and make life worth living.

Written on 24 December 1997 

*****

Little Did They Know

Little did they know what Child had been born;
This Son of Mary; in a cave the innkeepers scorned.
Large crowds of people, to tiny Bethlehem had come,
To pay tributes, be counted, and to give Caesar their sum.

Little did they know about the bright glowing star,
Which shone down on Lord Jesus, Whose children we are.
It even took spectacular angels, preaching in skies above,
To help poor shepherds recognize the dawn of new love.

Little did they know, Who this crowned, robed “king” was;
Who was worse than wicked Barabbas; why? — well, just “because.”
So they handed Him over to Caesar, for to judge, mock, and kill;
Yet Jesus was ready to atone for us; to do His Father’s will.

Little did they know why Our Savior suffered on the cross —
Not even His frightened disciples — whose faith had been lost.
Only His Mother Mary, and St. John stayed there at His feet,
Despite His words: “In three days I will rise” — followers to meet.

Little do we know, in this over-busy, secular age,
The true meaning of Christmas: Who occupies center stage.
“Christ’s Mass” is transformed to the bland “Happy Holiday.”
Thriving malls and growing debts replace Advent and Gospel ways.

So let us take some time, as we gather with loved ones so dear,
On Christmas Day, at this glorious, special time of year;
To be thankful for comfort and blessings — to give Caesar his due,
But above all, to worship Jesus — He Who makes all things new.

Written on 23 December 1999 

*****

Love’s Pure Light, Burning Bright

CREATION 

Love’s pure Light, burning Bright, [Ps 89:15]
Crowning Creation, beginning of Story. [Gen 1:3]
Banishing darkness, cold, and Night, [Gen 1:4]
Skies and mountains bespeak His Glory. [Rom 1:20]
 
FIERY REVELATION 

Love’s pure Light, what a sight! [1 Tim 6:16]
Shekinah cloud hovering high. [Ex 13:21]
Above the Temple, Jerusalem’s height, [1 Kings 8:10-11]
God’s presence, comforting, ever nigh. [Jer 31:33-34]
 
REDEMPTION FROM SIN 

Love’s pure Light, cast away fright, [Lk 2:8-10]
God/Child trembling in the hay-filled cave. [Lk 2:11-14]
From Bethlehem’s star, receives heavenly Light, [Mt 2:9-11]
Fallen souls, weak bodies, came He to Save. [Jn 3:16-18]
 
GLORY 

Love’s pure Light, shows His might, [Jn 3:19-21]
Transfiguration’s wonders, disciples see. [Lk 9:29,32]
Elijah, Moses, Peter, John in twilight, [Lk 9:28,30-31,33-34]
Glimpse Afterlife’s marvels to be. [Phil 3:20-21] 

NEW CREATION

Love’s pure Light, burning Bright, [Jn 8:12]
Conquering death, and Satan’s Ploy. [Rom 6:3-14]
Jesus Rising, vanquish’d man’s Plight, [Acts 1:3]
Guard soldiers dazed, scattered like toys. [Mt 28:1-4]
 
FIERY REVELATION 

Love’s pure Light, what a sight! [Jn 1:4-5,9]
Disciples, Mary pray in the Upper Room. [Acts 1:12-14]
For each one a Fiery Spirit tonight, [Acts 2:1-4]
Causing to flee doubt, fear, and gloom. [Jn 14:27-29]
 
REDEMPTION FROM WEAKNESS 

Love’s pure Light, cast away fright, [Mt 5:14-16]
Holy Spirit each believer to Dwell, [Jn 14:15-26]
Power, Grace, Peace for all Contrite, [Phil 4:13]
Exceeds, defeats temptations from Hell. [James 4:7]
 
HEAVENLY GLORY 

Love’s pure Light, shows His might, [Rev 22:5]
Magnificent Almighty, Reigns on His Throne. [Rev 4:2-6]
Redeemed multitude Worships, Delights, [Rev 7:13-17]
Heaven’s Ecstatic Joy forevermore Shone. [Rev 21:1-27]
 
Written on 12 December 2001

*****

Through the Eyes of a Child

Through the eyes of a child, Christmas splendor is lustrous, bright;
World aglow, enchanted, Spirit’s luminous presence hovers near.
The wonder, beauty, hope of the season, glorious holy silent night;
Young innocent hearts leading, older, “wiser” souls see and hear.
 
Through the eyes of a child, joys of Christmastime are ever-new;
God’s love, care resoundingly manifest to the jaded, grown-up type.
Life is marvelous and great, in precious sight of a sweet girl of two;
Advent and Yuletide so much more than dollars and commercial hype.
 
Through the eyes of a child, life, people gain blessed new meaning;
Family, longing, sharing, are guided, ordained from our Father on high.
Jesus’ graces pondered while decorating, game-playing, or cleaning;
In three boys’ laughing frolic, or “princess”‘ adorable pout and cry.

Through the eyes of a child, fathers, mothers are two or seven again;
Ten or twelve: listening for sleigh bells, savoring pine needles’ smell.
Wide-eyed, merry boys and girls can’t wait for Christmas’s “till then”;
While grateful parents yearn for sights, sounds, peace too deep to tell.
 
Through the eyes of a child, “big people” discover what living is about;
Who is really learning, and being blessed more? Is it us or is it them?
As Christmas draws near, loved ones gather, gifts opened with shouts;
We look through eyes of our children and the God-Child in Bethlehem.

Written on 12 December 2003