“We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

Growing up, my family did not have the tradition of leaving gifts under the Christmas tree. Instead, my parents would leave gifts by our pillow or bedside table on Christmas morning. My siblings and I would anxiously await the discovery of our presents, but we had to make sure we went straight to bed after Christmas Eve Mass to ensure Santa would deliver our packages.

My parents would stay up late after Mass to wrap our gifts. I still remember the smiles on their faces as we unwrapped our treasures of love wrapped in Christmas paper. We couldn’t take our eyes off the gifts during our special Christmas breakfast, and our parents were filled with emotions from our reactions, unable to stop watching us.

On Christmas morning, God the Father gave us the exceptional gift of Jesus, a friend who fulfills all our needs and saves us. Jesus is a priceless gift that we cannot buy or earn but who gives Himself to us freely through His grace and love—because God is in love with us. God delights in us and dreams about us all the time. He dreams about our aspirations, desires, plans, and futures (Isaiah 64:3, 1 Corinthian 2:9). We must dream about Him and fall deeply in love with Him, too!

Loving Jesus Above All Things

In The Imitation of Christ, Thomas á Kempis shares how we must love Jesus in return and serve him with all heart and soul:

Love Him, then; keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.

Your Beloved is such that He will not accept what belongs to another—He wants your heart for Himself alone, to be enthroned therein as King in His own right. If you but knew how to free yourself entirely from all creatures, Jesus would gladly dwell within you.

You will quickly be deceived if you look only to the outward appearance of men, and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them. If, however, you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Him. Likewise, if you seek yourself, you will find yourself– to your own ruin. For the man who does not seek Jesus does himself much greater harm than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do.

Tasting True Love

When I found Jesus as my treasure and friend, I began to experience His glory and goodness. My capacity to love increased, and I learned to love others better. When it was difficult for me to love, I ran to His mercy to receive His grace. When I was sad, weak, and disappointed, I turned to the heart of Jesus, who rescued me with His love. And when I was encouraged and joyful, I sang songs of love and praise to celebrate His everlasting love, which secures me in bad and good times. I had “found him whom my soul loves” (Song of Solomon 3:4).

Anyone who accepts the gift of Jesus finds a treasure. Life may be chaotic, but journeying with Him makes everything possible. A life grounded in the love of Christ is more beautiful and makes more sense. With Christ, all is possible, for He strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

Our Obligation to Love

Scripture teaches us that we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). Love is possible if we pray for the gift of love and make an effort to show it. We are called to be ambassadors of love, to spread God’s love around us, and to teach others to love God and their neighbors. We must serve as role models and witnesses of faith and hope through our loving demeanor, character, and service to others. It’s not enough to say we love someone; we must also demonstrate our love through actions. As Pope Francis once tweeted, “Love is always at the service of others. Because love is seen in actions, and words.”

And, here’s some wisdom from Mother Teresa (St. Teresa of Kolkata): “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. Spread love wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”

Reflecting on my childhood Christmas tradition, I am grateful to God the Father for sending His Son, Jesus, who represents the greatest love of all. Through Jesus, my parents learned to love and share this gift with us. Let us always remember the importance of this gift of love and hold it close in our hearts. And, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, let us pray to Jesus and ask Him for the grace to love Him above all things, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to receive the precious gift of love He has freely given to all.

Rhode L. Jean-Aleger was born and raised in Haiti. She has been married to Vorbes, her college sweetheart, for the past twenty-eight years. She is the mother of three young adult children. She received a BS in nursing in 1993 from City College of New York, a MS in Community Health Nursing as well as a MS in Public Health in 2001 from Hunter College, and Post-Master as a Nurse Practitioner in 2009 from New York University. A Certified Spiritual Director, she graduated from Our Lady of Divine Providence, an affiliate of Franciscan University. She is involved in the Homeless and Homebound ministry in her parish and is a retreat leader for the Haitian Community. Rhode founded the Jax Prayer Club and Outreach Ministry in 2013, a community of faithful Christians striving to support and encourage each other in their walk with God. She writes daily reflections intended to make prayer and the word of God alive in others’ hearts.  She is the author of “From Him and through Him and to Him”. Learn more about the Prayer Club by visiting her website: www.Jaxprayerclub.com. Rhode also enjoys baking, traveling, party planning, and family gathering.