By Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos

You’ve heard of the Grinch and the havoc he wreaked.

No Christmas was safe from that furry green freak.

But are you aware of the beast that lives here?

He robs, steals and ruins our holiday cheer.

While Who-ville was home to that classic Seuss tome,

the -ville of this saga is where we call home.

The Christmastime villain that I have in mind

isn’t furrish or greenish. And that’s why we’re blind.

He lives in a place where we aren’t prone to look.

And because we’re not looking, he’s safe in his nook.

We don’t see his fingers, but we feel him pryin’.

That sly impish villain’s consistently lyin’.

He says what we have isn’t nearly enough.

He says we’re deservin’ of more and more stuff.

He says we’re entitled. We’ve earned it. It’s ours.

More trinkets and baubles and jewelry and cars.

We always want better. We always want more.

And though we’re quite wealthy, he makes us feel poor.

Unlike thieves who rob us and take what we own,

the villain who’s stealin’ adds more to our homes.

He fills up our houses with more things to dust

and while we’re distracted our joy bank goes bust.

We act like we love it. We smile through the pain.

Yet deep down we’re crying. We know who’s to blame.

This villain is vicious. He’s heartless and cruel.

He knows how to fool us. He’s got just the tool.

He tinkers and twiddles and wows us with new.

He weeds out what still works and claims it is through.

And after he’s weeded he steals all our peace.

And though we have surplus we feel we’ve been fleeced.

It’s really quite awful, it’s terribly bad.

Our hearts have been ransacked and that’s why we’re sad.

Our MERRY’s been taken. Now Christmas is plain.

What once seemed like magic is now just a game.

What once made us happy and grateful is gone.

Instead we’ve a hunger that goes on and on.

It’s true. We’re in danger. It’s time we took aim.

But what does he look like. And what is his name?

We’d best change our locks and install an alarm.

Perhaps ammunition will keep us from harm.

But lest you start looking for ways of protection,

just look in the mirror. You’ll see his reflection.

You see Christmas villains are inside us each

in spite of our actions, in spite of our speech.

Beneath our nice wardrobes and new SUVs,

these menaces hide so that nobody sees.

Like worms or a virus within our PC,

those villains within us just do as they please.

We’re greedy and selfish and never content.

And based on the Bible that’s why we were sent

a Savior to save us from gangrenous greed.

To show us firsthand how to help those in need.

By giving, not getting, we’ll find what we’ve lost.

And though it is costly, it’s well worth the cost.

Our long missing MERRY will soon reappear.

The villain will vanish at least till next year.

He’ll flee from our overstuffed homes in a flash,

if he finds we’re giving the needy our cash.

So let’s count our blessings and put others first.

Our hearts will keep growing till they almost burst.

The Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos may be reached at Mercer Island Covenant Church at 232-1015, ext. 104, or at awesomerev@aol.com.