The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift is the gift of yourself. The most extreme example of it we are remembering here at this table: it is unforgettable.

We use the cross of Jesus as an ornament on our jewelry. The image has become an architectural feature on our buildings. It took Jesus’ self-giving to transform the ugliness of the cross into something beautiful. It took what he did to transform the dreaded cross into a welcome means of reconciliation by love for alienated people.

Observing the bread and the fruit of the vine is a symbolic act we take parts in that draws us into the mindset Jesus displayed this way. It calls us to follow the pattern he acted out to us so vividly, so unforgettably.