Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko! Feliz Navidad! Ito’y mga karaniwang pagbati sa araw ng Pasko. Pero may isang pamilyang kakaiba ang kanilang batian sa araw na ito. Let’s find out from today’s devotion in our second to the last series “12 Days Before Christmas.”

Pagpasok sa bahay, nakita nila ang bata sa piling ni Maria na kanyang ina. Nagpatirapa sila at sinamba ang bata. Inihandog din nila sa kanya ang mga dala nilang ginto, insenso, at mira.

Mateo 2:11

There’s a family with a beautiful Christmas tradition. Sa Noche Buena or Christmas banquet nila, they have a “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” cake especially made for the occasion, and the kids blow the candles on the cake after everyone has sung Happy Birthday to Jesus. They do this to remind themselves, especially the children, that Jesus is the real birthday celebrant on Christmas.

Have you ever thought of giving a gift to the real birthday celebrant this Christmas?

There was once a woman who gave Jesus a priceless gift. While Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon the Leper, this woman came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head as He was reclining at the table. This angered the disciples. They said she wasted so much money that could have been used to help the poor. But Jesus responded differently. He told them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me” (Matthew 26:10, NIV).

In the male-dominated Jewish culture at that time, this woman did a daring act. She gate-crashed a gathering of respected men. Worse, pouring perfume on the head of a rabbi like Jesus was a scandalous thing to do!

The woman also did a sacrificial act. Inubos niya siguro ang life savings niya to buy the most expensive perfume for Jesus. She did it because she recognized Jesus for who He really is — the Messiah that the Jews had long been waiting for. And so, this woman gave Jesus what ought to be given Him in the first place — her wholehearted worship.

A heart that worships. This is the best gift we can give to the only One who deserves the best we can give, whose birthday we celebrate this Christmas.

May our hearts be filled today not just with greetings of “Merry Christmas,” but also with songs of praise to the One whose birthday we are celebrating. Merry Christmas, everyone!