One day a father is watching his young son play on the beach with another friend. They were playing, that they were soldiers in a war. They each had their little sand forts on each side of the beach, as they were playing. The father called his son over and said, “Tommy, if you can take his fort in the next five minutes, I’ll give you five dollars.”

Well, little Tommy was so excited. The little soldier ran off to do his play battle with his friend, while less than five minutes later, little Tommy came over to his dad and said, “Dad. He gave it up.” The father said, “Wow. Tommy how did you do that in less than five minutes? That’s amazing? What did you do?” The little boy looked at his dad and said, “Well, it was pretty easy. I offered him two dollars, and he surrendered.”

Children often have a very simple and uncomplicated way at looking at life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this Christmas, we could take that simple uncomplicated way of looking at life, of looking at all God’s people and bring about what God first wanted to bring to earth through Jesus, the gift of his peace. We live in such a complicated world today. We see so much hatred and intolerance and a disrespect for life. We hear it. We see it displayed in horrible ways. What we need is a revolution, we’re reminded of love. One that helps us to live with more patience and kindness and tolerance and respect for life and for one another.

The readings today remind us of how this revolution of love first began. We hear about the greatness of the child in Mary’s womb. Elizabeth, her cousin, recognizes that the child is the son of God. God’s presence is peace, his love for the world comes in a very simple uncomplicated way in an obscure town, in a young woman, the virgin Mary, in her cousin Elizabeth, an older woman, who was thought to be sterile. And then, in a simple birth, the birth of his son, the birth of a child Jesus.

Today, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, we’re reminded that God can continue to do wonderful and great things through us, through our resources, through our gifts, through our talents, as limited as they might be. If we work at respect for one another, and kindness and tolerance, and love, if we work towards really unity and peace, then we like Mary will continue to bring about Jesus’ birth in the world today. That’s the true gift of Christmas. That’s the true gift that we need in our hearts and that the world needs today. That gift of Gods presence and the gift of peace.