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Happy 3rd day of Christmas!
He’s here. After 4 weeks of preparation and waiting, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is born! And we should still be celebrating, as we are in the Octave of Christmas and each day is another celebration of Christmas Day. Don't take down your tree and decorations yet either, as the Christmas season continues for 12 days and traditionally everything is left up until the Feast of the Epiphany. It's still Christmas, and we can do our part to counteract the attitude of society, which says Christmas is only for a day.
Durimg this season, we can meditate on the Incarnation and what it means for us and all of humanity. The little Baby, looking so tiny and helpless in the manger, is the Almighty God come to save His people. His poverty and humility are astounding. What can we take from this? Sit with the Nativity scene for a while and reflect. Presently, the Christ Child cries, nurses, sleeps, and does everything else a newborn baby does. But He is God. When He grows up, He will save His people by dying for them. But right now, He is just a helpless infant. And coming to us in this way is the primary way that He wants to teach us. We just have to listen.
Sure, the gifts you found under the tree on Christmas morning are nice. But the greatest Gift of all, which nothing can compare to, is what we celebrate on Christmas and in this octave. Are you ready to listen to Him and accept what He comes to give and to teach us?
A couple of notes:
•The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary are said every day within the Octave of Christmas.
•Unlike the Octave of Easter, the Christmas Octave is not a privileged octave. This means that the feasts of saints and other solemnities may be celebrated on days within the octave (and they are) and the Office for the Dead and Requiem Masses may be said during the octave. It also means that the obligation to abstain from meat is NOT lifted on the Friday within the octave.
I wish all of you a blessed and joyful Christmas season!
Emily Berns has been a Catholic writer and blogger for the past few years. She has a B.A. in Communications from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. Her blog, Lumen Fidei Ministries, can be found at http://www.lumenfideiministries.com.
