Merry Christmas - believe it or not, it is still liturgically correct to say this even though as I type this the date is December 29th. As Catholics, we celebrate the birth of our Lord for eight days called the Octave of Christmas (December 25th - January 1st (which is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God)). The season of Christmas lasts through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. Hey, we don't mess around - we have a lot to be thankful for so we celebrate for a while! I mean, c'mon! God has become man! Why celebrate that for only one day!? This is a big deal! The people in darkness have seen a great light! Besides Easter, this is the greatest feast of the Church's calendar - let us celebrate in praise and thanksgiving! This is the time to celebrate the coming of the long-awaited Messiah! If you were living in Biblical times and the people had been waiting for centuries for the coming of the Messiah, then he comes and you found out about it would you just celebrate for one day then move on with your life? I think not. Isn't it interesting though that every year people start preparing for Christmas after Labor Day and then when Christmas Day comes they start packing up their decor and putting away the fine china the next morning? What a commentary on the state of our culture. It's like we spend all night getting ready for the morning and then when morning comes we go to bed.
In continuing celebration of the Octave of Christmas I present you with the following:
Fr. Robert Barron commenting on the Genealogy of Jesus:
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