With all due respect to Ralphie Parker, a football does make a good Christmas present.
So does anything else that would help a Christian disciple reflect on the birth of the greatest athlete ever. No, this is not a trivialization or further commercialization of Christmas. It is another way to proclaim the true meaning of this sacred season.
God came to earth in human flesh so he could sacrifice it for our salvation. The gates of heaven would be forever locked unless Jesus Christ--fully God and fully human--took our sins upon himself and redeemed us through his passion, death and resurrection. In order for this to happen Jesus himself had to be a tremendous athlete. The endurance of his passion was the single greatest athletic feat of all time, and the prize he won is shared by all who are joined to him.
All athletes sacrifice their bodies for others. Athletes who belong to the Body of Christ make their sacrifices in and through that same body. It is the coming of that saving body to earth that we celebrate at Christmas. Reflecting on the strong Christian identity of sports is a fitting addition to the celebration.
So whether it be a football or another piece of athletic equipment, may any such gift be a reminder of the gift to humanity that was the greatest athlete and his equipment--Jesus and his cross.
"Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one." (1 Corinthians 9:25)
Merry Christmas!
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