Happy Second Day of Christmas, St Stephen!
The Second Day of Christmas brings us the Feast of St Stephen.
Remember please, that Christmas isn't "over" once the 24 hours of December 25th expire. The fact is, there's lots more Christmas to go, and I hope you know it and live it with gusto while you can. Let the world sink back into its mundane secular shell. We Catholics have a lot of living to do in coming days. If you have to work (and I've got some work waiting for me next week), do so in the "Christmas Spirit." Keep your mind and heart in the manger with the lamb, shepherds, the ox, and ass for a few days more - even longer if the spirit moves you. That creche in your living room, the one in your church, those you pass outside as you move about, all remind us that "Christ is born!" Keep the exclamation point at the end of "Merry Christmas!"
Personally, I can’t get enough of seeing, writing, saying, or hearing (spoken or sung) “Christmas,” “Merry Christmas,” a Blessed and Happy Christmas,” and on and on. Much of the world will cease and desist as of Christmas Day, as the bizarre holiday music bash that starts before Thanksgiving goes silent, with some people even taking down their Christmas decorations the day after, on the 26th, at exactly the time everything should be full and lit up. What a world! So it’s up to the Christmas Troopers to keep Christmas alive past the 25th, full bore through the 12 Days of Christmas, with a shot of new energy on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, on through Baptism of the Lord, even - for the hard core among us - straight on out to the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple of February 2nd, the real, final, once for all this year, end of the Christmas Season.
If you're on board with all this, your celebration has just begun!
Meanwhile, in her wisdom, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of St Stephen the very next day after Christmas. It reminds us we're all called to be martyrs, whether of the red or white variety. The red consists of the few who give their lives for Christ. The white include all the rest of us, who live our lives in a spirit of mortification, accepting the crosses God sends us each day. Even when our days are filled with blessings, we offer ourselves, specifically our prayers, work, our joys and suffering to God. All for Him. St Stephen's feast day reminds of all this.
Remember please, that Christmas isn't "over" once the 24 hours of December 25th expire. The fact is, there's lots more Christmas to go, and I hope you know it and live it with gusto while you can. Let the world sink back into its mundane secular shell. We Catholics have a lot of living to do in coming days. If you have to work (and I've got some work waiting for me next week), do so in the "Christmas Spirit." Keep your mind and heart in the manger with the lamb, shepherds, the ox, and ass for a few days more - even longer if the spirit moves you. That creche in your living room, the one in your church, those you pass outside as you move about, all remind us that "Christ is born!" Keep the exclamation point at the end of "Merry Christmas!"
Personally, I can’t get enough of seeing, writing, saying, or hearing (spoken or sung) “Christmas,” “Merry Christmas,” a Blessed and Happy Christmas,” and on and on. Much of the world will cease and desist as of Christmas Day, as the bizarre holiday music bash that starts before Thanksgiving goes silent, with some people even taking down their Christmas decorations the day after, on the 26th, at exactly the time everything should be full and lit up. What a world! So it’s up to the Christmas Troopers to keep Christmas alive past the 25th, full bore through the 12 Days of Christmas, with a shot of new energy on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, on through Baptism of the Lord, even - for the hard core among us - straight on out to the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple of February 2nd, the real, final, once for all this year, end of the Christmas Season.
If you're on board with all this, your celebration has just begun!
Meanwhile, in her wisdom, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of St Stephen the very next day after Christmas. It reminds us we're all called to be martyrs, whether of the red or white variety. The red consists of the few who give their lives for Christ. The white include all the rest of us, who live our lives in a spirit of mortification, accepting the crosses God sends us each day. Even when our days are filled with blessings, we offer ourselves, specifically our prayers, work, our joys and suffering to God. All for Him. St Stephen's feast day reminds of all this.
Merry Christmas!
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