Christmas
Christmas is our celebration of the birth of Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God who became one of us, the promised Messiah. The Christmas season celebrates the early manifestations of Jesus, from his birth to the beginning of his public ministry. The central figures in the drama of the birth of Christ are Mary, Joseph, and John the Baptist. The Christmas season begins at the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Themes in Prayer and Scripture
The Octave of Christmas — Because of the importance of Christmas, the Church extends the celebration of this solemnity to cover a period of eight days. This period is known as an octave, which comes from the Latin octavus, which means "eighth."Therefore, Christmas Day and the seven days that follow are part of the Octave of Christmas. The seven days include the following:
- The Sunday after Christmas is the feast of the Holy Family The gospel recounts Jesus' childhood, and the other readings concern the virtues of family life.
- December 26 is the feast of St. Stephen, the first Martyr.
- December 27 is the feast of St. John, the apostle and evangelist.
- December 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents.
- December 29, 30, and 31 are days within the octave of Christmas.
- January 1, the eighth day after Christmas, is the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. This day also honors the holy Name of Jesus. The readings from scripture speak of the Blessed Mother and the giving of the name of Jesus.
The Sunday between January 2 and January 5 is the second Sunday after Christmas. In the United States, the Epiphany of the Lord, traditionally January 6, is celebrated on the Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8. The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God, and Savior of the world, shown through the visit of the wise men from the East who came to pay homage to Jesus. The New Testament reading addresses the call of all people to salvation.
The Sunday following January 6 is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord and ends the season of Christmas.
Weekdays
During the week, the gospels relate events of Jesus' childhood and other manifestations of the Lord.