“Jesus said - Give everything you own to the poor for you’ll have far greater riches in heaven. Then follow Me.” - - Mark 10:21
Tony hated the commercial aspect of Christmas: the overspending, the frantic last minute shopping, the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else. One year Kim decided to bypass the traditional shirts, sweaters, and ties. She wanted to do something special for her husband.
Shortly before Christmas, their 12 year old son Kevin and his wrestling team competed against an inner city team. Those kids, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to Kevin’s teammates in their multicolored uniforms and matching wrestling shoes. The team didn’t even have the requisite headgear designed to protect wrestlers’ ears - a luxury they simply couldn't afford.
The match was no contest – Kevin’s’ team won every single weight class.
Tony, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won!" He had always had a passion for kids - all kids. "Losing so badly could destroy their confidence." That's when Kim hatched an idea for the perfect present for Tony.
The idea had Chinese roots dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912). Unlike a Western greeting card, red envelopes are given at Chinese New Year. The color red symbolizes good luck/fortune.
Eternal reassurance filled Kevin’s broad smile - clearly the brightest thing about Christmas that year. It became an annual tradition. One year they sent a group of mentally challenged kids to a hockey game, another year a check went to an older couple whose home had burned to the ground on Thanksgiving Day, and on and on.
The red envelope became the focal point of their Christmas and always the last present opened. The children, ignoring their new toys, watched with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. It never lost its significance.
This past summer, Tony died in a terrible car accident. Still overcome with grief, Kim barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found her nostalgically placing an envelope on the tree.
The next morning, three additional envelopes joined Kim’s. Each child, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. Tony's spirit, like the spirit of Christmas, lives forever. Merry Christmas!
Jesus, on earth You lived among people buried under an avalanche of poverty and pain. Help us remember that the love we experience at this time of year, need not end on Christmas night, but can bring comfort every day of every year. Amen
