Christmas: Called that for a Reason

In searching for a topic to begin my writing with, a month had gone by, and it was almost Christmas.  So I decided to put forth my feelings and ideas about this time of year. 


These days the commercialization of the Christmas 'season' is almost unavoidable in American culture (I realize it happens other places, but this is where I live, thus where I see it).  It seems that Halloween has barely passed, and the signature red & green decorations are coming out.  I understand that stores need to operate for good people to make a living and support their families.  But what has society made of this celebration in the latter half of the 20th century?   

It may seem to some that campaigns for "Keep Christ in Christmas" are over-exaggerated, but if you're not celebrating the true reason for Christmas, what are you  celebrating?   Why are you upholding the acquired traditions of trees, lights, gifts and gatherings, if you're not remembering for whom this time is meant to glorify? 


(From the Catholic Encyclopedia)
[The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131.  In Dutch it is Kerstmis, in Latin Dies Natalis, whence comes the French Noël, and Italian Il natale; in German Weihnachtsfest, from the preceding sacred vigil.]


There are many ways to say it, but they all point to the same Reason for the Season.  On the 25th of December each year, we the Church celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, Jesus Christ. 

[Mass: The Eucharist or principal sacramental celebration of the Church, established by Jesus at the Last Supper, in which the mystery of our salvation through participation in the sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection of Christ is renewed and accomplished.  The Mass renews the paschal sacrifice of Christ as the sacrifice offered by the Church.  It is called "Mass" (from the Latin missa) because of the "mission" or "sending" with which the liturgical celebration concludes (Catechism glossary).]


Yes, the mass is the remembrance of Christ's death and Resurrection, which culminates at Easter as the principal celebration of the year, but the beginning of this journey every year is with Christmas.  It's the starting point that leads us to Easter.

[Catechism 1171:  In the liturgical year the various aspects of the one Paschal mystery unfold.  This is also the case with the cycle of feasts surrounding the mystery of the Incarnation (Annunciation, Christmas, Epiphany).  They commemorate the beginning of our salvation and communicate to us the first fruits of the Paschal mystery.]


Our Christmas season doesn't kick-start when you flip to November on your standard Gregorian calendar, but begins on Christmas Day and concludes with the Epiphany.  And before that is the beautiful season of Advent, in which we wait and anticipate the coming of our Redeemer.


[Catechism 524:  When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming (Rev 22:17).  By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).]


We are presently living in that little space between the first and second coming.  We live in daily anticipation of our Lord's return.  With this in mind, I think that the mentality shown by the majority of people during Christmas season nowadays should become part of our 'basics' of daily operation.  We should be bringing our Christmas charity, kindness, hospitality and love that we show during this time of year, to every other space in the calendar.  As Catholics, we are called to do as much, with whatever or whomever we encounter.

  
I do not feel obligated to tell someone 'Happy Holidays' over 'Merry Christmas'.  I feel that the political part of political correctness shouldn't even be involved with our greetings.  Yes, I understand there are other holidays during this time of year, I'm well aware.  No one means offense, but of course someone is bound to get all worked up.  I usually get worked up after a 'Merry Christmas' is returned with a 'Happy Holidays', but to each his own.  There are dozens of scenarios where someone celebrates something else, but my point is that for any greeting or celebration, it should be just that, an expression of the joy of your belief.  Getting angry or offended has no place in it.

By telling someone 'Merry Christmas', I'm just relaying to you what this time of year means to me and I hope you can share in this time of joy.  And we should be willing to share such explanations why.  Within this greeting should also come the invitation for those who do not know or believe, or an encouragement to explore the deeper meanings and the way to the Truth.

[St. Augustine: “Let us, my brethren, rejoice, this day is sacred, not because of the visible sun, but because of the Birth of Him Who is the invisible Creator of the sun.  He chose this day whereon to be born, as He chose the Mother of whom to be born, and He made both the day and the Mother.  The day He chose was that on which the light begins to increase, and it typifies the work of Christ, who renews our interior man day by day.  For the eternal Creator, having willed to be born in time, His birthday would necessarily be in harmony with the rest of creation.” (Sermon On the Nativity of Our Lord iii) ]

I think that writing can be compared to a good ole cast iron pot:  the longer you use it and keep it up, the better seasoned it will be.  I hope this and future writings will open up new doors in the backs of minds, to maybe some things that weren't thought of before.  Or maybe just a fresh perspective on things. 

I wish you and yours the best this Christmas, and pray that the Lord bless you with a year-long Christmas spirit!

~Nick

P.S.  One of the 'Bayou Priests' I know sent me this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnt7euRF5Pg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Claim it, Take it!

My child, when you are ill, do not delay, but pray to the Lord, and He will heal you.  

Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly, and cleanse your heart from all sin.

Sirach 38:9-10

Beginning sometime in 2005, I started experiencing pain in my neck & shoulders, and over the next few years the pain spread, mostly on the left side of my body.  By late Summer of 2007 I could no longer lay on my left side and I had to lean to the right when sitting.  From my hip to my ankle there was a constant tightness and any weight put on the left when sitting would almost immediately result in an intense dull pain.  

Soon my lower back began to hurt and the neck & shoulder pain intensified.  

In January 2010 I threw out my back & began getting massages once a month.  

I was still able to work but was definitely limited physically. That Fall I started physical therapy but stopped when I didn't see any significant results after 3 or 4 months.  

I also had x-rays, an MRI and some nerve testing done, but nothing could ever be determined.  

At about this same time I started to get really bad headaches.  I called them migraines because they rendered me almost functionless, but my doctor said they didn't sound like textbook migraines.  I decided to see a chiropractor.  I saw loads of relief from his adjustments, especially with the headaches, but the left leg discomfort persisted.  The stretching exercises helped to alleviate some of the tension during the day, but to lay on that side at night was still unbearable.

Great crowds came to Him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute and many others.  They put them at His feet and He cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking and the the blind seeing.  

And they praised the God of Israel.     

Matthew 15:30-31

On October 16, 2011, my family & I attended a Mass & healing service celebrated by Fr. Ubald who, since his escape from the Rwandan genocide has been healing people in the name of the Lord, Jesus.  After the Mass, Fr. Ubald processed throughout the church with the monstrance, blessing every pew.  Once he returned to the altar he began to reveal the healings that would occur because of the prayers that evening.  No names were mentioned, only specific details about one's illness or life situation.  

The first thing Fr. Ubald said was, "There is someone here who cannot sleep on their left side because they have a lot of pain and migraines.  You will be able to sleep on your left side now."  (He had a pretty thick accent & was a little hard to understand so this might not be word for word, but this was the general message.)  As he spoke these words, I felt an intense burning sensation travel from the top of my head through my body down to my feet.  It was something I've never felt before, but at the same time it was incredibly familiar.  I knew it was the Holy Spirit.  After the last healing was told (and there were many!), Fr. Ubald asked for us to tell everyone if any of the healings were meant for ourselves, basically - claim it!  Even though I knew deep down that that first message was meant for me, I was nervous about claiming it.  OK, honestly, I was a doubting Thomas.  I was thinking, "What if I go home tonight and still can't sleep on my left side?; What if I get more headaches?  Then I'll have to 'unclaim' this healing later."  I decided to wait and see if anyone else claimed that particular healing - isn't it possible that someone else in the congregation could have these same symptoms??  But after a few people told of their healings, I knew I had to do the same so I stood and claimed that first message!

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, Woman, you are set free from your ailments.
Luke 13:12

Since that very night I've not only been able to lay on my left side but I've actually fallen asleep there, too.  Praise God!!!  I still have some tension in my hip & leg and continue to see the chiropractor (much less frequently, though!) but these 5 weeks have been wonderful.  Even if a total pain-free healing isn't what God has planned for me (some healings are progressive, so I'll have to wait & see), this incredible gift of more comfortable sleep is enough for me.  I'll take it!

~Becca

Our Intentions

 Matthew 25: 14-30 - The Parable of the Talents

v.29: "For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."

Today's gospel provided inspiration and the initiative to start this blog, something we've been thinking of creating for quite some time now.  Over the last year or so we have become infused with passion for learning everything about our Catholic faith and trying to live out every aspect of our life according to God's Will.  We want to share what we learn and experience here in hopes that our family, friends or whomever might come across this, may gain something from it.

In addition to our main focus, we'll also share things in our daily lives that keep us going.  Good stories, recipes, movies, books, music, prayers, whatever we come across that makes a positive difference in our lives, that makes the bad days good and the good days last.

Thanks for stopping in, save the page, and check back with us, the first entries are coming soon!

With much love to everyone,

Nick & Becca