The developers of the liturgical calendar wisely created a twelve day period to celebrate and contemplate the birth of Christ: December 25 - January 5. The Western Church celebrates the birth of Jesus on December 25, then marks the visit of the magi and/or the beginning of Jesus' public ministry on Epiphany, January 6. The Eastern Church celebrates the birth of Jesus on January 6. The twelve days of the Christmas season come on the heels of the four Sundays of the Advent Season whose focus is the coming of Christ. Both seasons are times of reflection, calling us to reflect on the wonder of Christ's birth and, therein, to reflect on the mystery of the incarnation.
In contrast, the cultural calendar begins its promotion before Thanksgiving Day. Once Christmas Day is over, it has already moved on to focus on the next holiday, New Years Day. Its Christmas focus is full of hurry, not stillness. It is full of busyness, not reflection. It focuses on sentimentality, not mystery. Its objective is economic gain, not relationship with God. It is over in a flurry of unwrapping of gifts.
May this fifth day of Christmas lead you into deeper awe and wonder as you reflect on God's gift to us, God's own Self, wrapped in human flesh as a helpless, vulnerable infant. Of course, this benediction assumes you are following the liturgical calendar, not the cultural one.
No comments:
Post a Comment