Last night, a hardy group from St. John’s bundled up against the wind and cold and set up a table on Main Street as part of Visit Charlestown’s Holiday Night Out. Whether by accident or by Providence, we were stationed next to the entrance of The Cooperative Bank, where Santa Claus was available for photos, so a steady stream of neighbors young and old walked past us on their way to see the Big Guy. We blasted Christmas music, handed out cookies and candy-cane gift bags, and collected a few bids for our Red Sox ticket Silent Auction.

But by far the most heads were turned by Simon’s voice announcing, as they walked past, “Free Raffle! Free Raffle!”

It’s astounding how quickly someone’s path can change when you say those simple words. We were just raffling off a gift basket, nothing crazy. But it was free. All you had to do was risk frozen fingers to write your name on a slip of paper and put it in the box for a chance to win.

And so we witnessed dozens of bundled-up yuppies on their way home from work or out for dinner turn aside with a look of delight. Scores of seniors chatted with us as they scoped out the goods. More than one elementary schooler checked with her mom to confirm that the family email address was, in fact, correct.

And why not? It was a free raffle, a chance to win a nice little gift, no strings attached.

But as the box of entries filled with free raffle tickets, so did the “Donations Welcome” jar at the other end of the table. A young guy who never would’ve stopped to buy a church raffle ticket slipped a twenty across the table in exchange for his free cookie and chance at a prize. Kids searched their pockets for leftover dollar bills. And best yet, when someone said she had no cash but could she Venmo us, we said no, it’s free; just fill a ticket out and put it in.

As Pia observed, halfway through, this is like grace. And she was right, and in fact I can’t think of a better way to put it.

In God’s economy, everything is free of charge. You are loved, and you are forgiven, and you are (from time to time) inspired, and you do not have to do a thing. God’s grace is a free raffle for a wonderful gift, and if you show up without cash, you get a ticket anyway. God’s love is completely gratuitous, in every sense of the word.

And yet this freedom doesn’t lead to freeloading. Not a single person, when confronted with the news of a free raffle, came up with a scheme to game the system, to take advantage of our generosity. They responded with their own. As the ticket box filled up, the tip jar filled up too, and if that doesn’t sum up Christian life, I don’t know what does. When we are loved, it leads us to love. When we are forgiven, it leads us to forgive. When in the midst of darkness we see a glimpse of light, we do not hide it away for ourselves, but show it to the world.

I walked home last night wondering what else we could give away for free, and what gifts we’d receive in return. I wondered how much money the Harvest Fair would raise if the Turkey Dinner were free (suggested donation: $20). I wondered what the church’s budget would look like if instead of charging tickets for church, we opened our doors and accepted donations. (Psych! We already do this! But churches used to actually rent pews.) I wondered what it would look like in my life to remember that everything I have is a gift from somewhere else, and to give myself as a gift in return.

I wonder what it would look like in yours.