It is two more days to Christmas Day. The days that are counting down to Christmas Day can be called as days of expecting and wondering.
Christmas is a time for gifts and presents not only for Christians but also for those who take the opportunity to have a celebration.
Whether we have made known to others our wish list or not, we will still be expecting and wondering. Of course there is no need to wonder if we will get any Christmas presents. We will certainly get our Christmas presents, at least a set of handkerchiefs, or some pairs of socks.
But will we be expecting to get what we wish for? But expectation is the mother of disappointment. So let’s try to look at the funny side of expectation and then we may not be so sad in disappointment.
A woman was wondering what her husband will give her as a Christmas present, so she decided to drop a hint. So she said to her husband, “Last night I had a dream that I was wearing a diamond necklace. I wonder what it means.”
Her husband replied, “You will know this evening.” In the evening, when he came back from work, he had a present in his hand and he gave it to his wife and told her to open it.
The wife was delighted and excitedly opened the present. It was a book, and the title is “How to Interpret Dreams.”
Some people say that in order to avoid disappointments, it is better not to have expectations. So no expectation is no disappointment.
But that’s not how we should look at it. Rather we should have some expectations and then prepare for excitement.
In the gospel, we heard of Mary visiting Elizabeth. But it was not just a courtesy visit. As we know, much has gone on before, and much will happen after that.
Both Mary and Elizabeth were persons of faith and like the rest of God’s people; they were waiting in expectation of the coming of the Messiah. But the situation was bleak and unfavourable. The land was occupied by another power and the people were under foreign rule.
So as much as Mary and Elizabeth were waiting in expectation for the coming of the Messiah, they did not expect it to happen during their time. Neither would they expect that they would have an important part to play in it.
Mary was betrothed to Joseph, and then the Annunciation happened and she accepted God’s will. Elizabeth was barren, and when Zechariah did his priestly duty at the Temple, he had a vision, and after that he went back home, and then Elizabeth conceived.
So when Mary visited Elizabeth, it was a meeting of two expectant mothers, both did not expect themselves to conceive, both did not expect themselves to have important roles to play in the coming of the Messiah.
Both had their expectations, they had more than they expected, and along with was also a lot of excitement.
So in a way, it can be said that Mary and Elizabeth got their first Christmas presents. It was not what they expected, and it was also way beyond their expectations.
But their gifts were not just for themselves. Their gifts were gifts of life, gifts that must be used to prepare others to encounter and experience the Messiah.
So what are we expecting for our Christmas presents? To be on the safe side, it is better to have no expectations so that there will be no disappointments. Or we might want to be optimistic and have low expectations and high hopes.
But like Mary and Elizabeth who were expecting God to fulfill the promise of the Messiah, let us also expect Jesus to come into our lives with joyful hope.
Maybe we will get gifts that are ordinary, like handkerchiefs or socks. But let us look at the gifts and see what God wants of us.
Maybe the handkerchiefs are for us to wipe away the tears of grief and sadness from the eyes of those who weep.
Maybe the socks are meant for us to wear in our shoes so as to journey with others in their trials and difficulties.
Yes, God comes to us as gifts, whether expected or unexpected, and He will show us what He wants us to do with those gifts.
Mary and Elizabeth knew that their gifts are meant to fulfill the expectations of the coming of the Messiah. May we also use our gifts to lead others to Jesus.