Living Liturgically: Celebrating Christmastide

Did you know the twelve days of Christmas ends on January 5^th and not December 25^th? Christmas is both a single day on the calendar and a celebratory season that officially ends the Sunday following January 5^th.

The season has two tracks in its liturgical celebration. First, we reflect on Jesus’ life from his birth until his baptism (Matt 1:18-2:23 and Luke 2). Second, the Church observes memorials and feast days for a diverse suite of saints throughout the Christmas season, and they’re each celebrated for different reasons. You can get more out of your Christmas by making three changes: use time intentionally, use the calendar, and celebrate! 

Firstly, use your Christmas season intentionally. The Christmas season probably looks different from your regular life. With school holidays, office closures, national holidays, or vacations, we might get some time back that is usually dedicated to other things. Use it wisely. Make time for family prayer. It need not be perfect or elaborate, but as a household, express your gratitude to God and ask for the Lord’s protection. Make time to visit people you missed before Christmas especially if they live alone. Make time for reading and reflection. The Lives of the Saints and the introductions to Matthew and Luke’s Gospels are great places to start. Read a little each day and pray about what they mean. Daily Mass attendance is the most profound change you can make for your spiritual growth. While most parishioners cannot balance daily Mass, full-time employment, and family life, adding daily Mass during the holidays is a great time to go if you’re usually pressed for time.

Secondly, the Christmas season is liturgically dense. In the life of the Lord, Christmas Day is the mystery of the birth of the Savior. On the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents on December 28th, we encounter the first glimpse of violence the world levels against Jesus and the danger faced by those who stand for Him. On the Sunday after Christmas, we are given the model of the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph pour out their love and care for Jesus, and Jesus' submits to their parenting. On January 1st, we celebrate Mary the Mother of God. This most ancient title for Our Lady highlights the mysterious nature of Christ’s full divinity and full humanity. On Christmas Day, the shepherds see the Messiah of the Jewish people, and on Epiphany, the Magi see the Messiah of the Nations. Finally, Jesus' Baptism marks the official beginning of his public life and ministry. 

In the Saints, we see a cross-section of themes that all inspire personal holiness in a unique way. Each saint provides an opportunity for prayerful self-reflection, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us in modeling our lives after the Saints. For example, on December 26^th, we celebrate the feast day of St. Stephen, a deacon and martyr, who reminds us that those who follow Christ, like the saints did, will also suffer like Christ. We can both imitate and celebrate St. Stephen by praying for our deacons and those suffering for the Faith throughout the world. On December 27th, we celebrate the feast day of St. John the Apostle; this feast invites us to consider who we might be called to evangelize.

Christmas is also a great time to pray for bishops (especially our next bishop) and political leaders. On December 29^th, we celebrate St. Thomas Becket. He was a great example of a bishop who exemplified public service for others, having also served a political office before he became a bishop. Are there ways you can witness to the Faith in the public square? There are many other examples we can look to for inspiration regarding this virtue. On December 31^st, we celebrate St. Sylvester, the pope who helped transition ancient Rome from a pagan culture to a Christian one. 

Are there things you can do to further your education in the faith? We can look to Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, who we celebrate on January 2^nd, for their many brilliant theological contributions to the Church. Considering the importance of sound theology, let us also pray for scholars and educators, while looking to other examples for inspiration in our own lives. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was an educator and a nun, who we celebrate on January 4^th. In truth, each day during the Christmas season gives us a chance to reflect anew on different themes when it comes to holiness. It’s okay to choose just one and wrap your day around it. 

Lastly, Christmas is a celebratory season: so celebrate! Enjoying good things is not opposed to Christianity. In fact, celebration is critical to living an authentic Christian life. You can enjoy good things as brief, divine gifts. However, wanting that pleasure constantly without moderation leads to addiction and disappointment. Leisure allows us to enjoy things as a means to a higher purpose, rather than as an end in themselves. Relax, pick a day to do nothing, or pick a day to do something out of the ordinary. You can even do something you want to do but have been putting off. Build a fire and enjoy it. I will, and you should too.
You will need to adapt these suggestions to your situation. Celebrating Christmas looks different for a single person, a dating person, a family of four, a family of ten, and a convent of sisters. Remember Christmas is a celebratory season, use it intentionally, use the calendar, and enjoy it.

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Fr. Alex Gaudet is the Pastor of Christ the Redeemer Church in Thibodaux, a Staff Member of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana.