Charity At Christmas

Image: Unsplash

What is Christmas about? At its core it is about the coming of the king, the birth of the saviour, the entry into the world of the champion who would defeat the evil one. Therefore, at the heart of Christmas is a gift. The gift of salvation and the forgiveness of sins.

This is the greatest gift anyone can receive, it is the greatest thing anyone can have. It is the thing we most need. But we can't stop here with the full meaning of Christmas, because it's not just about what Christ has done for us, but what Christ has done in us. He gives us the gift of salvation and forgiveness. He offers us grace, and that grace is not without effect it changes us and redeems us, makes us new in him, so that we can turn around and in little ways imitate him in this world. 

For the last few days I have been meditating over one of the great Christmas songs that has this as its focus, Good King Wenceslas, 

"Good King Wenceslas looked out

On the Feast of Stephen

When the snow lay 'round about

Deep and crisp and even

Brightly shone the moon that night

Though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight

Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me

If thou know'st it, telling

Yonder peasant, who is he?

Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league, hence

Underneath the mountain

Right against the forest fence

By Saint Agnes' fountain"

"Bring me mead and bring me wine

Bring me pine logs hither

Thou and I will see him dine

When we bear him thither"

Page and monarch forth they went

Forth they went together

Through the rude wind's wild lament

And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now

And the wind blows stronger

Fails my heart, I know not how

I can go no longer"

"Mark my footsteps, my good page

Tread thou in them boldly

Thou shalt find the winter's rage

Freeze thy blood less coldly"

In his master's steps he trod

Where the snow lay dinted

Heat was in the very sod

Which the Saint had printed

Therefore, Christian men, be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing."

Good King Wenceslas, not to be confused with King Wenceslas of Bohemia, was a St. Nicholas type figure. A generous man who gave liberally. 

And in this song on Boxing Day (the feast of Stephen) he went out to do as good men do, he found someone to love and bless and give gifts to. We need to never forget the message of Christmas and the gift we who believe have received. But on top of this, we should not forget to be gift givers to. Not just to those who expect them, but to those who don't. 

The message of Christmas is blessing, blessing from God to man, but also from man to man. 

"Therefore, Christian men, be sure

Wealth or rank possessing

Ye who now will bless the poor

Shall yourselves find blessing."

Let's be like King Wenceslas. And of course, Bing Crosby did the most incredible rendition of this song, which you can listen to here.