January 3, 2024

Wednesday Word:  Still Christmas

Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas.  According to the song, this is the day a true love receives ten lords a-leaping. 

I hope you are still celebrating the Christmas season. I hope your tree is still up.  I hope you still have Christmas decorations displayed.  I hope your creche sets have the wise men/magi still making their way to Bethlehem, while moving closer every day.

I hope all this because, in a world that is in a rush to get to Christmas (store decorations seem to run concurrent with Halloween now) but pushes it aside even faster, it’s important for us to remember that Christmas is a season.  It’s important to remember that Advent doesn’t begin on December 1, but on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day.  It’s important to remember that the Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25 and run through the evening of January 5.

It's important to remember that the wise men/magi weren’t at the manger in Bethlehem, but they were at the house of Mary, Joseph, and toddler Jesus.

I say all this because the world wants to drive us to a day of gift-giving that is over almost before it starts in order to ramp up for the next frenzied holiday.

But it’s important to remember that we are not to be driven by what the world tells us is important; it’s important to remember that we have different priorities. 

Christmas is a 12-day season because the Incarnation of God as a human baby is too important to neglect.  Christmas is a 12-day season because it is the time we remember those who gave their lives for the message of the Gospel (Saint Stephen, Deacon and first martyr), those who wrote passionately about the love of God (Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist), and those who were killed because they were seen as a threat to worldly powers (the Holy Innocents).

The Christmas season is too important to be relegated to one day.  So be joyful and merry.  Sing Christmas carols and hymns.  Say, “Merry Christmas!” to the cashiers at Lynn’s and DJ’s.  Drink your eggnog (if you can find it) and make toasts.  Continue to celebrate the miracle and gift of God made man for another few days – because this gift is too important for only one day.

Merry Christmas,