When we think of Christmas, we think about what we have to offer to others, seen as a kind of social obligation or at most an expression of everyday love.

But if we were more true, if we had more love for the other person, we would realize that the first gift we can give to others is our time, attention, our love. All other gifts, which must necessarily exist, should be the expression of our attention. If we do not pay attention to the other, if we do not give the gift of love, all other gifts pale because nothing can replace the beauty of a person.

True love is between at least two people. One which is single cannot escape his loneliness, no matter what objects he has surrounded. The object cannot respond to love, the outpouring of love towards an object is lost in nothingness. Only one person can respond to another person’s love, only one person is a mystery deep enough in order to to be always new, always fresh, to be a miracle, worthy of the target of the other’s love. Thus, the happiest in the gift of love is the one who gives and not the one who receives, if he really does not expect anything in return, because true love has the freedom not to expect anything in return.

Let us not forget in our indifference to make this Christmas gift because God, the perfect communion of the perfect persons, also made at Christmas the greatest gift of His love, without expecting anything in return: Himself.

In the following photos is depicted the full program of Christmas (2018) at Vatopedi monastery, Mount Athos.

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