| Christmas Day (December 25)
We celebrate the nativity of Our Lord, the Incarnation of the Son of God.
God gave us the greatest gift, and we, in turn, give gifts to our loved
ones.
The Feast of St. Stephen (December 26)
St. Stephen is probably best known as being the first martyr for the
Christian faith; however, he is a particular favorite for our family because
his feast helps us remember the Trinity during the Christmas season.
St. Stephen was a man chosen to be an assistant to the Apostles, who were
so busy preaching God's Word they did not have time to care for the needy.
He was one of the seven chosen men because he was "...filled with faith and
the Holy Spirit." (Acts 6:5)
During the Christmas season it is easy to think about God the Father, who
gave us His son. It is also easy to remember Jesus, since we are celebrating
His Incarnation. Sometimes we forget about the Holy Spirit, our Advocate,
who has been guiding and strengthening us with His gifts since the
Ascension. On the feast of St. Stephen we like to take a few moments to pray
to the Holy Spirit, beginning, of course, with the Sign of the Cross.
Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your
faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love. Send forth Your
Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.
Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the
faithful, Grant, that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever
rejoice in His consolation. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
The Feast of St. John the Evangelist (December 27)
St. John is often called the Beloved Apostle. He ran away when Jesus was
arrested, but was the only apostle who had the courage to come back and stay
with Jesus during the Crucifixion. John was the apostle who was given the
responsibility of the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He led a large
spiritual community and is the named author of a Gospel, several scriptural
letters, and the Book of Revelation. He lived a long life and died a
peaceful death. It is thanks to his writings that we have the beauty and
depth of our theology.
A tradition for this feast day is the blessing of the wine, and a drink
to good health. Legend tells us that St. John once drank poisoned wine and
lived to tell about it. A toast to St. John is an enjoyable way to celebrate
a lovely feast.
The Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28)
The Gospel of Matthew (Mt 3:13-18) tells us that Herod the Great, who was
known to execute anyone who might usurp his power, was so furious that the
Magi did not return to him after they had seen Baby Jesus he ordered the murder of
all
boys under the age of 2 years. The Holy Family escaped to Egypt until after
Herod's death to avoid this massacre.
This is a perfect day to pray for all the innocent children who are
harmed because of the selfishness of adults. The harm may be due to war,
abuse, abortion, neglect, and many other offenses. These children need our
prayers and any other help we can provide.
It is also a perfect day to tell our own children how much we love them.
No matter what age we are, it always feels good to give or receive a hug!
The Fifth and Sixth Days of the Octave of Christmas
(December 29 and 30)
These are relatively quiet days which are reserved for simply enjoying
the Christmas season. Our family enjoys celebrating every feast possible,
though, so we read about St. Thomas Becket on the 29th. We enjoy the peace
and quiet on the 30th.
St. Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury in the twelfth
century. As Thomas grew more faithful, he grew more distant from the secular
world. In fact, he alienated his king, Henry II. Eventually he was murdered
on the 29th of December inside his own cathedral, the Cathedral of
Canterbury. If you visit the cathedral today, you may see the shadow of this
martyred saint.
Celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
(December 31)
This is a day to celebrate family, from the members in our own home to
our extended family, Church family, and our universal family. Over our 3
year cycle of readings we learn of 3 major events in the life of the Holy
Family on this day:
- In Year A Matthew's Gospel tells us the story of the flight of the
Holy Family into Egypt when Herod orders the murder of the innocent boys
under the age of 2 years.
- In Year B we hear the story from Luke's Gospel of Jesus' presentation
in the Temple, as required by Jewish Law. We also hear the prophecies by
Simeon and Anna of the Infant's future.
- In Year C the Gospel of Luke give us the story of Jesus' being lost
for 3 days, then being found in His Father's house.
From all these stories we learn of the importance of a good, humble home,
and loving parents who nurture their child. The importance of the Jesus'
early years cannot be underplayed. Going to religious celebrations together,
exercising patience and love, and teaching the faith are the natural
responsibilities of the parents, guiding the child to grow in faith and
wisdom.
Celebrating the Holy Family by going to Mass together and trying to
understand all they teach us is a wonderful way to end a year, and can help
us dedicate ourselves to our family more completely in the coming year.
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
(January 1)
There is so much theology to celebrate at the beginning of a brand new
year! It is truly a day for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, our
Mother.
Catholics are criticized for calling Mary "Blessed." However, we're just
doing as we're told by scripture. In Luke 1:42-45 Elizabeth refers to Mary 3
times as "Blessed." In Luke 1:48 Mary admits that all ages would call her
"Blessed." This year, why not make the effort to call our Mother the
Blessed Virgin Mary as normal practice?
The term "Mother of God" has been also been controversial for several
centuries. However, it was popular in early Christianity, and became
official at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) Although Mary was a
simple creature of God, she agreed to bear the completely human, completely
divine Savior. She gave birth to both His human and divine natures, not just
His human nature. In calling Mary the Mother of God, we are simply
proclaiming our belief in the Incarnation, in God's becoming man.
Start off the day, and the new year, with a sincere "Hail
Mary" to celebrate this day.
Memorial of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nanzianen
(January 2)
These two men lived in the 4th century A.D. and were close friends. Both
went through many trials because of their faith, from being called on to
serve people when they would have preferred a monastic life, to defending
the faith against popular heresies. They both became bishops and Doctors of
the Church.
Both men were know for their writing and oratory skills. St. Basil left
us with some important thoughts as we consider our lives at the beginning of
the new year:
| The bread which you do not use is the bread of the
hungry; |
| The garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment
of him who is naked; |
| The shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the
one who is barefoot; |
| The money that you keep locked away is the money of
the poor; |
| The acts of charity that you do not perform are so
many injustices that you commit. |
|
St. Basil the Great |
The Most Holy Name of Jesus (January 3)
This is a good day to review the
Ten Commandments,
especially the second commandment, which tells us to honor God's name.
Respect for God's name encourages respect for God. A lack of respect for
God's name is blasphemy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
tells us that blasphemy is a grave sin.
Consider the language of you, your family and friends today. Are there
times when the Lord's name is used in something other than a loving,
prayerful way? With just a little effort, all blaspheming can be curtailed.
Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (January 4)
Who would have thought a married Episcopalian mother of 5 would end up a
Catholic nun who founded a religious community and numerous schools?
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American saint. She reminds us that
obedience to God and being open to His Way did not end with the Blessed
Virgin Mary. God calls us to some amazing tasks. As long as we are willing
to listen, He will guide us and provide whatever gifts we need.
Memorial of St. John Neumann (January 5)
St. John Neumann is another American saint who used his spiritual gifts
to build many parishes and schools. Even when there were challenges,
God always smoothed the path so the work of faith could be done.
On January 4th and 5th we celebrate saints who were willing to accept
God's will as their own. In this new year we, too, can take some quiet time
to listen to God, see where He is leading us, and dedicate ourselves to Him
anew.
(Coming soon!)
Epiphany
Baptism of the Lord
The Presentation of the Lord
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