The Christmas Season

We are still celebrating!!

Is your tree already put away?

Are the ornaments carefully boxed and stored?

Is your nativity set in the closet? Are your outside lights wound up and put

away? OR are you still celebrating the birth of

Jesus? Our Church is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feasts of the Christmas Season

In today’s church calendar, there are always three Sundays after Christmas that have their own special feasts:

1st Sunday: Feast of the Holy Family (who are they?)

2nd Sunday: Epiphany (what is this?)

3rd Sunday: Baptism of Jesus

Then we begin Ordinary Time again

Here are some other feast days of the Christmas season:

Saint Stephen (Dec. 26) (You do remember him?)

Feast of St. John the Apostle Feast of the Holy Innocents (who

are they?) ( Dec. 28) January 1: Solemnity of Mary January 4: Elizabeth Ann Seton January 5: Saint John Neumann January 6: Feast of the Epiphany

(WHAT? But that was last Sunday????)

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Originally, Christmas was celebrated for 12 days and the Christmas season always ended on January 6, which is the feast of the Epiphany

This is confusing!!! If you want to know about what the Church

celebrates when, you can always use a liturgical calendar. (Who remembers when the church year begins?)

Liturgical Calendar

Feast of the Ephiphany

Also called: Adoration of the Magi Feast of the Three

Kings/Wise Men/Astrologers Little Christmas We can read this story in

Matthew’s gospel Matthew 2: 1-12 (Read it

NOW)

But what is an epiphany?

An epiphany is a manifestation or a showing of something.

What was Matthew trying to show when he wrote this story?

To understand that, it is helpful to know

Who was Matthew’s audience?

JEWISH CHRISTIANS

Matthew was writing for newly converted Jews (commonly called Jesus Jews or Jewish Christians)

He was telling them that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah.

BUT the three kings were “from the east” They were not Jews…they were Gentiles. SO WHAT? IS THAT IMPORTANT? YES!!!!

Jesus came for ALL people and not just the Jews

This is what is being manifest or shown in the story

Astrologers

People who try to draw conclusions by studying the stars

Rising of a new star in ancient times meant a new king was born

It also meant an official visit by a royal person to his realm…it was a public showing

Interesting things about this feast fromCatholic tradition

The kings symbolize ALL people.

The kings had names and the gifts were symbolic

Melchior

Was old and white haired

Brought the GOLD Gold is symbolic of

kingship Jesus deserves gold

because he is a king

Casper

Young (or younger) Brought the

frankincense Represents divinity

because when it is burned in prayer offerings, the smoke goes up to God

Balthazar

Traditionally this king is dark skinned

He brought the myrrh Myrrh was used to

anoint dead bodies to keep them from smelling

This gift symbolizes Jesus’ humanity

So…think about your nativity set: also called a creche

Is yours in keeping with tradition?

Are your three kings correctly depicted?

Good thing the kings did not feel like this! Jesus came for all of us…we are therefore already “involved.”