I know what you expected our scripture lesson to be on such a day and at such a time as this. You had several possibilities in mind. Some of you thought I would read the lovely story in Luke’s gospel, the one that includes the words, “You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Others thought I would read about the wise men, with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And some thought that, at the least, we would hear Mary’s song, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Instead, you get some verses from Paul’s Letter to Titus, a place in the New Testament that most of us don’t visit often, and one that may never have occurred to us for a time like this.

            But the scripture reading isn’t a mistake. It belongs to this special Christmas hour, because it has the same message as the passages with which we’re so familiar. It is telling us that Christmas is a gift. It’s a Gift.

Advice to Titus

            Our scripture lesson comes to us from a letter the apostle wrote to a young preacher. The letter is full of common sense advice about how the preacher, Titus, should do his work, and how he should teach his people. It’s all very down to earth. Remind your people, the apostle said, to obey the laws of the land, and to be ready to do good deeds whenever there is opportunity. Speak evil of no one, he said, and avoid quarreling; be gentle and show courtesy to everyone. As we read these words we confess readily that they

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