Dear St. Rita Parishioners,
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you all! As the traditional 12 days of Christmas approaches its close, I want to remind you of its significance. I don’t mean the children’s song, which many have speculated to be a means of encoding truths of the faith in a hidden way (there does not seem to be evidence for this beyond speculation), but rather the days themselves. This time of Christmas extends a little further than the Octave, which ends on January 1. January 6, as you know, was the traditional date of the Epiphany, which is a feast that pre-dates even Christmas, and marks the end of the 12 days.
Epiphany traditionally marks 3 events, though in the West we have normally emphasized only one of them: the arrival of the Magi. The other two events are the Baptism of the Lord and the Wedding Feast at Cana, both much later in the life of Our Lord. All three, however, are public manifestations of Our Lord Himself. They are revelations. They are appearances (which is the meaning of the word ‘epiphany’). The arrival of the Magi is most closely associated with Christmas, so naturally we have focused there. However, the contrast between the hidden arrival of Our Lord in the stable at Bethlehem and his manifestation to others at these three events is worthy of note.
It means that Our Lord didn’t come here to stay hidden, because no one puts a lamp under a bushel basket! So, while Christmas has a certain hidden character to it, and is for those to whom it is announced (e.g. the shepherds), like a limited release, Epiphany shines brightly so that His presence is more widely known, seen, and believed. The 12 days in between Christmas and Epiphany are days of rejoicing and anticipation, then. Rejoicing, because the Savior has come, and we have been privileged to witness it. Anticipation, because He is manifesting Himself to the world also, and we desire to see all men fall to their knees in faith and in adoration of the Living God Become Man.
Therefore, we Christians are still reveling, as it were, in the glory of God, in His initiative, in His salvation. We are astounded at the manifold ways in which God has desired to reveal Himself. We are heartened by the fact that this revelation is not something that you and I could ever have achieved by our own evangelistic efforts but is purely the work of God. And not only could I not do anything to hasten it, I also could not do anything to prevent it! God’s Victory was always going to happen, whether I am interested in it or not.
This side of Christmas joy is very important for us to keep in our hearts. It is not just that God’s Victory has been won, but that God is at the helm of all things. He knows precisely the day and the hour, although we do not. He is orchestrating all things, though to us it looks like chaos. This means that the time between now and the end of the world (whenever that will be), should also be a time of joy and anticipation. We maintain the joy of Christ’s presence in our hearts. We have been privileged to hear His message and to accept it. We are grateful for that gift from God, yet our proclamation of what we have received is in away a part of that limited release. We are like the angels announcing to the shepherds good news of great joy and singing “Glory to God in the highest!” And yet we know that there is a greater manifestation on its way.
Unlike God, we don’t know the day or the hour. But we do know it is coming, and that is sufficient. Sometimes we feel more acutely the desire for His final coming, but we do not thereby lose our joy. We continue instead our angelic mission as messengers of the Light, the Light of the world, the Light that shines in the darkness, the True Light that enlightens every man.
In Christ,
Fr. Christensen