The

  Birthday Party!

Dearest Loretta,

Hello, dear friend. Well, as you know, it's almost time for my birthday again. Last year they had a real big party for me and it seems like they will again this year. After all, they've been shopping and preparing for it for months now, and there have been announcements and advertisements almost every day about how soon it's coming! They really do go overboard about it, but it's nice to know that on at least one day of the year some people are thinking about me a little.
     You know, it's been many years now since they first started celebrating my birthday. Back then they seemed to realise and appreciate how much I had done for them. But most people nowadays seem to hardly know what my birthday is all about. Nevertheless, I enjoy seeing people getting together and having a good time, and I'm happy about how much fun it is for the little children, but just the same, it seems that most folks are missing the point of it all.
     Like last year, for example: When my birthday came around, they threw a big party, but—can you believe it?—I wasn't even invited! Imagine!—The guest of honour, and they forgot all about me! Here they had begun preparing for the festivities two months in advance, but when the big day came, I was left out in the cold! Well, it's happened so many times in recent years, I wasn't even surprised. Even though I wasn't invited, I thought I'd just quietly slip in anyway. So I came in and stood off to the side.
     Everyone was drinking, laughing and having a high old time, when all of a sudden, in came this fat old fellow in a bright red suit, wearing a phoney white beard and shouting "Ho, Ho, Ho!" He looked like he'd had more than enough to drink, but he somehow managed to weave his way across the floor while everyone cheered. When he collapsed into a big armchair, all of the little children went running over to him excitedly yelling, "Santa! Santa!" I mean, you'd have thought he was the guest of honour and the whole holiday was in his honour!
     Then he began telling them one of the most ridiculous stories you've ever heard!—That he lived at the North Pole with a crew of dwarfs, and that every year on my birthday he rides in his sleigh pulled by a bunch of flying reindeer, delivering presents to children all around the World! I mean, there wasn't a word of truth in anything he said! Imagine telling poor little impressionable children such far-fetched fables!
     Finally I just had to leave. I walked out the door, and it was hardly surprising that no one even noticed that I'd gone. As I walked down the street afterward, I felt about as lonely and forlorn as a stray dog! I could hardly remember the last time I'd felt that low. Maybe you don't think I cry, Loretta, but I did that night.
     That's why I was so touched when I came by your house that evening, and you and your little family took me in and treated me royally! I was really deeply moved when you all sang "Happy Birthday" to me! It'd been such a long time that anyone had thought to do that! I want to tell you, I really treasure friends like you! It's comforting to know that there are a few other folks around who remember me on my birthday, too! God bless them!—Sweet folks like yourself who are close to me, who celebrate my birthday with a nice time of fellowship and a simple meal together. I never miss being with them on that day!
     That little manger scene you had put up in the corner of your living room was really touching! It's sweet that people commemorate my birth like that. But did you know that nowadays, in some countries, the authorities won't even allow manger scenes to be placed in the parks, streets or public places any more!—Not to mention their schools! And I'm not talking about Communist countries! I'm talking about the "good ol' USA"! Imagine! What could be more innocent than a manger scene to remind people of my birthday?— And yet they ban it! They've actually passed laws against it and made it illegal! What's this World coming to?
     Another thing that amazes me is how, on my birthday, instead of giving me presents, most people give gifts to each other!—And on top of it, it's usually all kinds of stuff that they don't even need! Let me ask you, wouldn't you find it odd if when your birthday came along, all your friends decided to celebrate it by giving each other presents and never gave you a thing?
     Someone once told me, "Well, it's because you're not around like other people are, so how can we give you presents?" You know my answer to that one: "Then give gifts of food and clothing to the poor, help those who need it. Go visit the lonely!" I said, "Listen, any gift you give to your needy fellowman, I'll count that as if you gave it to me personally!" (See Matthew 25:34-40.)
     Well, sad to say, things are getting worse each year. You can just imagine my shock a few years ago when I began to see them taking my name out of my birthday greeting and replacing it with an "X"! What an insult! Think of it!—"X-mas"!—What if I wrote you a birthday card and said, "Happy Birthday, X"! You'd probably never talk to me again! And that's just about how it makes me feel! I mean, what more could they do to push me right out of the picture on my own birthday?
     It reminds me of what recently happened to a friend of mine, a sweet elderly fellow named Sam. He's from the poorer part of town, and had been trying unsuccessfully for many months to join a church. But it was a very exclusive church for "good, proper" folks, and they just didn't want old Sam as a member. I found him sitting outside on the church steps with his head in his hands, tears in his eyes, and I asked him what was wrong. When he told me about it, I put my arm around him and said, "Sam, I know just how you feel. I've been trying to get into that same church for twenty years myself, and they've never let me in either!"
     Well, there's an end even to my patience. So I'm going to let you in on a secret, Loretta. Now, this is something I've been planning on doing for quite some time, but the way things are going, I think I'm going to have to put it into effect pretty soon. I'm planning on holding my own party! How about that! It's going to be the biggest, most fantastic feast you could possibly imagine! It might still take a little while before I've completed all the preparations, so it might not happen this year.—But I'm sending out the invitations now anyway, because I know you'll want to come. There's going to be room for billions, for everyone who wants to come! Some really famous old-timers and celebrities are going to be there, and I'll reserve you a seat of honour right with them! (Matthew 8:11)
     So hold on to your hat because when everything's ready, I'm going to spring it as a big surprise!—And a lot of people are going to be left out in the cold because they didn't answer my invitation! Please let me know right away if you'd like to come, and I'll reserve you a place and write your name in large golden letters in my great big Guest-Book!
     Much love,
      Jesus