These two words, gamut and gambit, are often misspoken and misunderstood. Gamut means an entire series. For example, “That musician’s talent for orchestral instruments runs the entire gamut from playing the piccolo to pounding on the kettledrums.” Gambit refers to a strategic move, usually involving a sacrifice, to gain an advantage over an opponent. For example, in the game of chess, the first move or opening gambit might be to sacrifice a pawn in order to gain a position of power for the subsequent move by a more valuable piece.
What do gamut and gambit have to do with Christmas?
Gambit is easy. God always makes the first move by sending us an open invitation to follow the right path. We are inspired to do good and avoid evil because the Lord takes the initiative to offer us the grace to love God and neighbor, as well as the strength needed to overcome the temptations of the Devil. Of course, we have the choice to accept this grace or not and to act accordingly. Nevertheless, God always offers what’s best for us. We may think that our petitions turn the attention of the Almighty toward us when we pray for help. But our desire to ask, repent, thank, or adore God comes from above. The creator loves us and inspires all creatures to ask. Then, as promised, we receive what is best for us, even if that doesn’t match exactly what we asked for.
This overwhelmingly unimaginable gambit in human history happened 2,024 years ago. The father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, allowed the Virgin Mary to conceive the son, born on Christmas Day, to teach, preach, and show us which way, truth, and light to follow so that we could be saved from this valley of tears and live happily forever in heaven.
What about gamut? Christmas can be understood as the initiation of the entire gamut of our salvation. When Mary conformed her will to God’s will, she conceived by the Holy Spirit, and the word became flesh. Her son and Lord then dwelt among us, taught us how to live and love, suffered and died for us, and rose again to conquer death and open the gates of heaven for us. This is the gamut, the entire series of events, explaining how and why God created, loved, and saved us.
December 25 is both the gamut and gambit of God’s loving plan for our eternal joy. Our only task is to accept this most precious Christmas gift by being baptized, repenting of any sins we have committed, and following the Gospel.
Holy Homework: Let’s give God a Christmas gift this year by reciting Mary’s Angelus Prayer in return for God’s loving Christmas gift to us.
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