Christmastide
By the time you read this we will be well into the season of Advent so I want to talk about the next season Christmastide. The church year begins in most places with the season of Advent. For four Sundays and the weeks they include we anticipate the coming again of Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of the World. On Christmas Day we celebrate that event! But one day is not enough for this momentous happening; one day does not give us time to begin to comprehend what God has done. So in the church calendar Christmas Day is the first of the season of Christmastide. For twelve more days in our tradition (forty in the Roman Catholic tradition) we will ponder the meaning of Christ’s coming. Our season will end with the second celebration of the birth, Epiphany. This time Jesus is revealed to the nations; he is announced as King of Creation. The two gospel stories of the birth bracket this season. Luke tells us of the birth and visit of the humble and outcast. Matthew records the arrival to worship of wise men from the East. On Christmas Day we commemorate an infant birth in Bethlehem. At Epiphany we present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Following the church liturgical year affords us reminders of the breadth of the message of God incarnate. As we anticipate in Advent, celebrate in Christmastide, repent in Lent, rejoice in Eastertide, and live in Ordinary Time we experience again and again and deeper and deeper the life of love in which we live and to which we are called. Observing the church seasons is a discipline worth the effort.
By the time you read this we will be well into the season of Advent so I want to talk about the next season Christmastide. The church year begins in most places with the season of Advent. For four Sundays and the weeks they include we anticipate the coming again of Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of the World. On Christmas Day we celebrate that event! But one day is not enough for this momentous happening; one day does not give us time to begin to comprehend what God has done. So in the church calendar Christmas Day is the first of the season of Christmastide. For twelve more days in our tradition (forty in the Roman Catholic tradition) we will ponder the meaning of Christ’s coming. Our season will end with the second celebration of the birth, Epiphany. This time Jesus is revealed to the nations; he is announced as King of Creation. The two gospel stories of the birth bracket this season. Luke tells us of the birth and visit of the humble and outcast. Matthew records the arrival to worship of wise men from the East. On Christmas Day we commemorate an infant birth in Bethlehem. At Epiphany we present gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Following the church liturgical year affords us reminders of the breadth of the message of God incarnate. As we anticipate in Advent, celebrate in Christmastide, repent in Lent, rejoice in Eastertide, and live in Ordinary Time we experience again and again and deeper and deeper the life of love in which we live and to which we are called. Observing the church seasons is a discipline worth the effort.
On Christmas Eve on the blog I will begin to offer a guide for the 12 days of Christmas. Each day you are offered a Scripture to read, a reflection to ponder, a picture to gaze on, and something to do individually or with your family. Collectively this will offer us I hope a time of musing, a new way to hear, and a chance to involve our whole being. The work centers around four European countries, reflecting on their holiday traditions, and takes guidance from the various saint days that grace the calendar. The activities are designed to involve every age and move us in direction of creating, giving, and feasting; a project, an outreach suggestion and a recipe from the country is included for each of the four sections. Read, listen, do.
While you may not do all that is suggested I do hope you will set aside some time each day to celebrate this season, to delve deeply into the meaning of the Incarnation, to let God guide you in responding wholly to the “good news of great joy” that came and comes to us now. Jesus is born today, Jesus is born today!
Blessings, Caroline
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