You know the types, take down that darn tree ASAP, if it's real drag it to the curb. Quick, pick up all the ribbons and bows and decorations and shove them away. After all, we are done with Christmas. Well I guess you can do whatever you want, but if you are all about getting Christ in Christmas, and claim to know the reason for the season, then what the heck are you doing. How do you not know that Christmas has just begun. Christ indeed is the reason for the season, and the season has just begun.
Oldest Christian tradition tells us that Christmas is celebrated as an Octave and that means 8 days. Therefore, Christmas the day, the celebration of the birth of the Word made flesh and the splendor of the Father ends on January 1st. Furthermore, as a season, oldest Christian tradition extends until at least January 6th, the traditional day we celebrate the Epiphany. In fact for centuries, the Epiphany was often referred to as Little Christmas. Newer Christian tradition extends the season of Christmas until the Sunday in January where we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In fact the Epiphany and the Baptism of Jesus are two of the three manifestations of Jesus before he begins his very public ministry. By the way, the third manifestation is the Wedding at Cana. One final long held Christian tradition extends Christmas all the way to February 2nd, called Candlemas and the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple!
Whatever your belief may be, if you cling to Jesus as the reason for the season, you don't flush Christmas away on December 26th. Not at all!
Christmas season has just begun; embrace it, celebrate it.
Don't let your Christmas end prematurely; it's still got a lot to offer!
No comments:
Post a Comment