christmas day
Luke,
Chapter 2, verse 8-10:
8
Now there were
shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over
their flock. 9The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. 10The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for
behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the
people.
Have you ever had an encounter with an angel? Most
have not yet encountered a manifestation of an angel but do feel they were
guided by them. For those who do encounter a powerful appearance of an angel
like the shepherds they were very afraid,
and some are not. Here is the story of one man’s experience with the
Archangel Raphael.
Imagine, you go to bed one night and an
angel comes and asks you to go with him. Wim Holtschlag, a simple carpenter and
father of two, by now grown up children, had this happen to him five times in
his home at Haaksbergen (The Netherlands). 28 spoken messages have come since.
The messenger calls himself Raphael, angel, third in rank. His name means
medicine of God and he wounds hearts with his arrows of love. He stands in the
choir of archangels. He is one of the seven who stand before the Throne of God.
His name is known in the bible where he, in the book of Tobit, is the traveling
companion of the young man Tobias. The Church calls on him as the angel of
love, patron of medical doctors and of travelers. From 1984 until May 2000, the
seer, his wife Diny, and the many who have learned of these messages, received
a deepening of their faith and a clearer insight into how to live in the still
remaining time.
Nativity
of Our Lord, Or Christmas.[2] Sunrise
OF THE SECOND MASS.
The Introit of this Mass reminds us of the temporal birth oi Our Savior
in Bethlehem. A light shall shine upon us to-day, for Our Lord is born to us,
and He shall be called Wonderful, God, the Prince of peace, the Father of the
world to come, of Whose reign there shall be no end” (Is. ix. 6). “The Lord
hath reigned, He is clothed with beauty; the Lord is clothed with strength, and
hath girded Himself” (Ps. xcii. 1).
Prayer.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are filled with
the new light of Thy incarnate Word, may show forth in our works what faith
displays in our mind. Through the same Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen
EPISTLE. Titus iii. 4-7.
Dearly Beloved: The goodness and kindness of God our Savior
appeared: not by the works of justice which we have done, but according to His
mercy He saved us, by the labor of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy
Ghost, Whom He hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Savior:
that, being justified by His grace, we may be heirs, according to hope, of life
everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What does St. Paul teach us in this epistle?
He teaches us what God has done and is doing that we may have
eternal life, and why He does it. Not by our own merits, but according to His
mercy, He has saved us by holy Baptism, for we were conceived and born in sin.
Let us show by our lives that we are renewed by the Holy Ghost, and animated by
the hope of life everlasting.
Why did not God have mercy on the fallen angels?
This is a mystery which should heighten our love to God, but
should also fill us with fear and trembling, for if we do not use the goodness
and kindness of God to our advantage our punishment will be severer than that
of the fallen angels.
GOSPEL. Luke ii. 15-20.
At that time the
shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this
word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us. And they came with
haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And
seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning
this child. And all that heard wondered: and at those things that were told
them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her
heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the
things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
How could the shepherds
know that the new-born child was the Savior of the world?
The angels had given
them a sign: “You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid
in a manger,” and seeing, they believed, fell on their knees, and adored the
child. They then praised God for the graces they had received, and made known
what they had heard and seen to others.
What do we learn from
Mary in this gospel? That we should ponder the divine truths in our hearts, and, by
this heavenly nourishment, strengthen and preserve our souls in spiritual life.
Christmas Customs[3]
Christmas
Greeting
The
popular American greeting "Merry Christmas" is generally taken as a
wish for a joyful feast, but in reality, it has a different meaning.
"Merry" originally meant "peaceful or blessed," not jocular
or happy; it was an adjective for heavenly serenity, not earthly mirth. The
phrase, "Merry England," for example, referred to the spiritual
character of the country. And in the carol, "God rest you merry
gentleman," the word "merry" does not refer to
"gentleman." Rather, it should be read, "God rest you merry,
gentleman," -- "that is, God rest you peacefully, gentleman."
Pageants
Like other high points of the liturgical year,
Christmas was the occasion of devout mystery plays, dramas held in church after
Mass which explained the meaning of the mystery being commemorated. By the late
Middle Ages these plays had become elaborate pageants, public entertainment
(usually held outside the church on a movable stage) that consisted of various
scenes from history or legend.
Gift Giving
Many Americans
may be surprised to learn that the Christmas custom of exchanging gifts does
not always occur on Christmas morning. In some countries, the Feast of St.
Nicholas (December 6) is the traditionally preferred date, while in France --
for adults at least-- it is January 1st. Still other countries, such as Italy,
imitate the Magi by presenting their gifts on the Feast of the Epiphany.
(Epiphany is also the day when gifts are exchanged in the Eastern churches.)
Finally, some areas of Europe exchange their gifts on Christmas Eve before or
after attending Midnight Mass. The giving of gifts may also be spread over the
duration of Christmas (hence, the carol, "The Twelve Days of
Christmas:" see below). December 26, for example, is called Boxer Day in
England and Canada because on this day the poor boxes of the church were
emptied by the priest and their contents distributed to the needy. The day
after Christmas has thus become a traditional day for giving gifts to servants
or to one's paperboy, mailman, barber, etc. In some places, some of the gifts
are withheld on Christmas to be given on Epiphany. This has the advantage of
prolonging children's delight in receiving presents, as opposed to
over-saturating them on Christmas Day.
Plants
It is only
fitting that the season celebrating the Flower that comes from the root of
Jesse (Is. 11.2) should be so strongly associated with various plants, some of
which are included below:
Holly: Why do we deck the halls with boughs of holly?
Simple but profound in its symbolism, holly represents two sacred events: the
revelation of God's Holy Name to Moses on Mt. Sinai and the Crucifixion of our
Lord. On the one hand, the prickly leaves and red berries of holly call to mind
the burning bush from which Yahweh spoke; on the other they symbolize the Crown
of Thorns and the drops of Blood shed by our Lord during His Passion. The point
seems to be that in order to recognize the infant in the manger as the Godman,
one must look backward to His self-revelation in sacred history and forward to
His saving action on the Cross.
Mistletoe: Mistletoe was considered to be a powerful and
sacred healing agent by the Druids. It was considered so sacrosanct, in fact,
that enemies who met under it were forced to lay down their arms, embrace each
other, and vow not to fight until the following day. When England became
Christian, mistletoe was retained as a token of good will and friendship (along
with the custom of kissing under the mistletoe), while its association with
healing was transferred to Christ, whom the Advent hymn for Vespers calls the
"Cure for a sick world" (languidi mundi Medela).
Ivy: Ivy was originally banned from Christmas
celebrations because of its pagan associations with bacchanalia. It took
several centuries for the distaste of this symbolism to wear off, but when in
the Middle Ages it finally did, its natural qualities could be appreciated
anew. Seeing in its desperate clinging to rock an allegory for human dependence
on divine strength, Christians made ivy became a popular Christmas symbol, as
well as a favored indoor plant year-round.
Laurel (Bay): Whereas ivy suffered from
its pagan meaning, laurel benefited. As the ancient Roman symbol of victory,
laurel became the first plant to be used as a decoration for the newborn King.
The Christmas wreath hung on our doors also comes from this symbolism. The
Romans considered wreaths symbols of victory and celebration, placing them on
their doors when an occasion merited it.
Rosemary: As a Christmas symbol, rosemary is almost as
old as laurel. An ancient legend, explaining the reason for its use at
Christmas time, states that when the Holy Family was fleeing to Egypt Mary
stopped along the way, washed Jesus' tiny clothes, and spread them out to dry
on a rosemary bush. Since then God has rewarded the bush with a pleasing
fragrance.
Poinsetta: The most recent addition to the Christmas
plant pageant is the glorious poinsettia from Central America or, as it is called
in Mexico, the flower of Holy Night. It is of no consequence that the plant's
flaming red "petals" are actually its leaves; the poinsettia is a
perfect reminder of the fiery star that led the wise men to Bethlehem.
The
singing of hymns and carols, even in an age which has lost the ability to sing,
remains a fixed and cherished part of Christmas. Unfortunately, we cannot
adequately examine the vast history or catalog of Christmas songs. Instead, we
will focus on one famous but misunderstood Christmas carol. Most holiday
revelers do not realize that the popular carol, "The Twelve Days of
Christmas," is actually a hidden catechism for Catholics. From
1558 to 1829 the Catholic Church was persecuted in England, making the
transmission of the faith from one generation to the next exceedingly
difficult. One solution was to veil the basic tenets of the faith in the
symbols of a song. If caught, a Catholic could claim that it was merely an
innocuous ditty, or even, if pushed, a Protestant catechism (since most of the
song's teachings were also shared by the Reformers).
Here
are the verses of the song, followed by its meaning:
The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear
tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a
partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two
turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, six geese-a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds,
three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying, five golden rings,
four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a
pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, eight maids-a-milking, seven swans-a-swimming, six
geese-a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two
turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking, seven
swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds,
three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, ten lords-a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight
maids-a-milking, seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying, five golden rings,
four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a
pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, eleven pipers piping, ten lords-a-leaping, nine ladies
dancing, eight maids-a-milking, seven swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying,
five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves, and
a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true
love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten
lords-a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids-a-milking, seven
swans-a-swimming, six geese-a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds,
three french hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
The Carol's Meaning
·
My true love = God
·
Me = every baptized person, the Church
·
A Partridge in a pear tree = The Word made
flesh, Jesus Christ (The portrayal of Christ as a mother partridge is inspired
by his lament: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered
thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it
so..."). The pear tree signifies the wood of the manger (and also
of the cross), while the fruit reminds us of the reason for the Incarnation:
God's desire to save us from the sin introduced by Adam's and Eve's consumption
of the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. The fruit also
reminds us of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden.
·
Two Turtle Doves = The two parts of
the Sacred Scriptures [Old and New Testaments]
·
Three French Hens = The three
theological virtues, given from God and poured into our hearts [Faith, Hope,
and Charity]
·
Four Calling Birds = the four Gospels/Evangelists
[Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John]
·
Five Golden Rings = The first five Books of the Old
Testament, the "Pentateuch" [Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and
Deuteronomy]
·
Six Geese a-Laying = The six days of
creation
1st Day: Creation of light and its separation from darkness
2nd Day: Creation of the firmament and division of the
waters
3rd Day: Collection of waters (sea) and formation of
dry land (earth); creation of plants according to their own likeness
4th Day: Creation of heavenly bodies in the firmament
(sun, moon, and stars)
5th Day: Creation of sea creatures and winged fowl
from the waters
6th Day: Creation of cattle, creeping things, and
beasts from the dry land; creation of mankind, male and female
·
Seven Swans a-Swimming = the seven gifts
of the Holy Spirit
1.
wisdom
2.
understanding
3.
counsel
4.
fortitude
5.
knowledge
6.
piety
7.
fear
of the Lord
Also, the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith
[Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders,
and Matrimony]
- Eight Maids
a-Milking
=
the eight Beatitudes [Mt. 5.3-12]
1.
Blessed
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2.
Blessed
are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
3.
Blessed
are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.
4.
Blessed
are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
5.
Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
6.
Blessed
are the clean of heart: they shall see God.
7.
Blessed
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
8.
Blessed
are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.
- Nine Ladies
Dancing
= the nine choirs of angels (in ascending order)
1. Angels
2. Archangels
3. Virtues
4. Powers
5. Principalities
6. Dominations
7. Thrones
8. Cherubim
9. Seraphim
- Ten Lords
a-Leaping
= the Ten Commandments
1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange
gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain.
3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
4. Honor thy father and mother.
5. Thou shalt not kill.
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7. Thou shalt not steal.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor.
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.
- Eleven
Pipers Piping
=
the eleven faithful apostles [Simon Peter, James the Great, John, Simon
(the Zealot), Jude (a.k.a. Thaddeus), Andrew, James the Less, Matthew,
Phillip, Bartholomew, and Thomas]
- Twelve
Drummers Drumming = the twelve articles of the Apostle's Creed
1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of
Heaven and earth;
2. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Mary,
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died,
and was buried.
5. He descended into Hell; on the third day He rose
from the dead.
6. He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand
of God the Father almighty;
7. From thence He shall come to judge the living and
the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
9. The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints,
10. The forgiveness of sins,
11. The resurrection of the body,
12. And life everlasting. Amen.
The
"Twelve Days of Christmas" is still an excellent expression of joy in
the Incarnate Lord and a well-rounded summary of the life of Faith. And, by
giving us something on which to meditate for each day, it is also an ideal way
to spend the twelve days of Christmas. It even reminds us (by virtue of its
history) of the cost many generations had to pay in order for us to receive the
Good News we celebrate during this holy season.
OF THE THIRD MASS.
The
Introit of the third Mass reminds us of the spiritual birth of Christ in our
hearts. “A child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is
upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called the Angel of great counsel”
(Is. ix. 6). “Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle, for He hath done wonderful things”
(Ps. xcvii.1).
Prayer.
Grant,
we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the new birth of Thine only begotten Son in
the flesh may deliver us, who are held by the old bondage under the yoke of sin.
Amen.
EPISTLE. Heb. i. 1-12.
God, Who at sundry times and in
divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all
in these days, has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He hath appointed heir of all
things, by Whom also He made the world : Who being the brightness of His glory,
and the figure of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His
power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on
high: being made so much better than the angels, as He had inherited a more
excellent name than they. For to which of the angels hath He said at any time:
Thou art My Son, to-day have I begotten Thee? And again: I will be to Him a
Father, and He shall be to Me a Son? And again, when He bringeth in the
first-begotten into the world, He saith: And let all the angels of God adore
Him. And to the angels indeed He saith: He that maketh His angel’s spirits, and
His ministers a flame of fire. But to the Son: Thy throne, O God, is forever
and ever: a scepter of justice is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved
justice and hated iniquity: therefore God, Thy God hath anointed Thee with the
oil of gladness above Thy fellows. And: Thou in the beginning, O Lord, didst
found the earth: and the works of Thy hands are the heavens. They shall perish,
but Thou shalt continue, and they shall all grow old as a garment. And as a
vesture shalt Thou change them and they shall be changed: but Thou art the
self-same, and Thy years shall not fail.
Meditation.
How magnificently does this epistle
set forth the kindness and love of God the Father, Who, for a teacher, has
given us, not a prophet, but His only Son! how beautifully does it prove the
divinity of Christ, since God has begotten Him from all eternity, and created
the heavens and earth through Him, Who is always the same, and His throne
forever and ever! Learn, O Christian soul, from this epistle, how much thou art
obliged to love God, to trust Him, and to follow Christ thy example, for
without imitating Him thou canst neither belong to His elect, nor have part in
His redemption.
Aspiration.
O heavenly Father, I thank Thee
with my whole heart, for having spoken to us through Thy only begotten Son,
Whom Thou hast made better than the angels. I will, O Father of mercy, listen
to Him with gratitude, and use His sublime teachings for the perfect
enlightenment of my mind and heart.
GOSPEL. John i. 1-14.
In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without
Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light
of men; and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness,
to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was
not the light, but was to give testimony of the light, that was the true light
which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world,
and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His
own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, He gave them
power to be made the sons of God; to them that believe in His name. Who are
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God. And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory,
the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth.
·
What does St. John mean by the “Word”?
He
means the Son of God, Who is called the Word of the Father, because He was
begotten as the word is produced from the thought, but in a manner more
beautiful and mysterious. In His divine nature He is one with the Father; but
in person distinct from Him; as the word spoken is at the same time one with
Him Who speaks, and yet distinct from Him. He is also called the Word because
it is through Him that the Father has declared to us His will.
·
What is the meaning of, “in the beginning was the Word”?
It
means that at the beginning of the world the Son of God already was, and,
therefore, was begotten of His Father from all eternity. Thus, at the beginning
of his gospel St. John teaches Christ’s eternity, divinity, and equality with
the Father.
·
What is the meaning of, “all things were made by the Word”?
That
the Son of God, Himself true God, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, created
all things that were made, both visible and invisible, in perfect order and
beauty (Prov. viii. 30).
·
What is the meaning of, “in Him was life”?
That,
as the living God, He was the source and fountain of all life.
·
How was the “Life the light of men”?
The
Eternal Son, Who was the life, was also the light of men, because He was the
Truth to enlighten them with the knowledge and love of God, that, avoiding sin
and ignorance they might walk with safety in the way of salvation.
·
In what sense are we to understand the words, “and the
light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it”?
Christ
made known the true knowledge of God to men who were in spiritual darkness,
that is, in error and ignorance, but they would not receive His holy teaching.
This is still the case with those who, notwithstanding the preaching of the
Gospel, Will not believe, and particularly with those hardened sinners who will
not return to God, although He pours upon them the light of His grace to move
them to penance.
·
Who is meant by “him who came to bear witness of that light”?
St.
John the Baptist, who endeavored by his preaching to prepare the Jews for the
coming of Christ, and who testified before the whole world that He was the
expected King and Messiah.
·
How are we made children of God?
By
the grace which we receive in holy Baptism.
·
What is to be understood by, the Word was made flesh?
We
are to understand by it that the Word was not changed into human nature, but
that He became incarnate by the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin Mary, and was made
man, uniting in one person the two natures, divine and human. He was the Godman,
Who walked among men thirty-three years, marking every step by favors and
benefits. He assumed, says St. Leo, the nature of man, who was to be reconciled
to God, in order that Satan, the author of death, might be overcome by that
same nature which he had before conquered; and thus Our Lord and Savior
vanquished our most cruel enemy, not in majesty, but in humility.
·
What
is the meaning of, “and we saw His glory, the glory of the only-begotten of the
Father”?
The
evangelist hereby indicates that he and his fellow apostles were permitted to
see the glory of the Godman; for instance, on Mount Tabor; in His miracles; in
His glorious resurrection and ascension. Thus, they saw Him and knew that He
was the true Son of God, the fountain of all good, from which all receive life,
and light, and grace (John i. 16).
Aspiration.
O
God, Father in heaven, Who, in the form of an amiable child, hast given to us
poor sinners this past night Thy only begotten Son, born of the immaculate Virgin
Mary, to be our Mediator and Redeemer, we thank Thee with all our hearts for
this inexpressible grace, and beseech Thee, of Thy goodness, to preserve in us
the perpetual memory of it, that, in all our adversities and temptations, we
may have comfort and consolation, with strength to love, serve, and praise
Thee, in holiness and purity, until the last hour of our lives. Amen.
The purest of Virgins gave us our God, who
was this day born of her, clothed in the flesh of a Babe, and she was found
worthy to feed him at her Breast: let us all adore Christ, who came to save us.
Ye
faithful people, let us all rejoice, for our Savior is born in our world: this
Day there has been born the Son of the great Mother, and she yet a pure Virgin.
O
Queen of the world, and Daughter of a kingly race! Christ has risen from thy
womb, as a Bridegroom coming from the bride-chamber: He that rules the stars
lies in a Crib. — Antiphon from the ancient Church of Gaul
·
Day One activity (Christmas Drama)
·
Day One recipe (Breton Nut Bread)
Browse your TV listings, video store shelves, or your movie service website to find one of these classic gems and recent favorites to share with your family.
The Bells of St. Mary's
(1945)
The Bishop's Wife (1947)
A Christmas Carol (1951)
A Christmas Carol (2009)
A Christmas Story (1983)
Christmas with the Kranks
(2004)
Come to the Stable (1949)
The Fourth Wise Man
(1985)
Fred Claus (2007)
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Joyeux Noel (2006)
Miracle on 34th Street
(1947)
The Muppet Christmas Carol
(1992)
The Nativity Story (2006)
The Polar Express (2004)
Prancer (1989)
The Shop Around the Corner
(1940)
Three Godfathers (1948)
White Christmas (1954)
Daily
Devotions
[2]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[5]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[6]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-12-25
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