The Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God is celebrated on New Years Day. We continue to celebrate the joy of the birth of Jesus on Christmas day. Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. Mary was given the title Theotokos which means “God-bearer” in Greek during the third or fourth century.
The divinity of Jesus has been argued about throughout the ages. The church has declared that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine…He has two natures. The church also teaches that Jesus was begotten not made. This means that Jesus has always existed in the Trinity. He became Man to redeem us and to give us the gift of salvation.
Because the church teaches that Jesus is the Lord, our God, this means Mary is the mother of God.
The mysteries of our faith are many. This mystery is truly beautiful. Mary, who was born without sin ( like Eve) said yes to the Angel during the Annunciation. Although troubled by the news that she would bear a son, she said;
“Let it be”.
We are all called to imitate Mary who is the first disciple of Jesus. Mary loved Jesus in a way none of us are able. She cared for him and took care of all his needs while he was growing up. There can be no doubt that Jesus also loved and honored Mary.
We are also called to honor Mary, just as Jesus honored His Mother. If Jesus honored and loved his mother, why shouldn’t we do the same?
December 27 is the feast day of St. John the Evangelist. He is the patron of writers, editors, and publishers. This honor is due to his writing of the fourth gospel, three epistles and the Book of Revelations.
John was the son of Zebedee. He and his brother James the Greater were called by Jesus to follow him as his Apostles. James and John were known as the “sons of thunder”.
John is referred to as the “beloved disciple”. At the Last Supper, it is John who sat next to Jesus. He is the only apostle not to die a martyr’s death.
In the gospels, John with Peter and James were the only witnesses to Jesus raising of the daughter of Jairus. (Luke 8.40) They were also at the transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. Jesus sent only John and Peter into the city for the preparation of the final Passover meat. ( Last Supper).
The writings of John have been very important in the life of the church. It was the last gospel written. John did not focus on the parables of Jesus. He focused on the divinity of Jesus and the major themes of Jesus teaching. The first chapter of John especially focuses on the divinity of Jesus.
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.”(John 1.1)
The gospel of John contains the “I am” sayings of Jesus. These sayings teach us a a great deal about Jesus. They are:
I am the bread of life (6.35)
I am the light of the world (8.12)
I am the gate for the sheep (10.7)
I am the good shepherd (10.11)
I am the way, and the truth, and the life (14.6)
I am the vine, you are the branches (15.5)
Reflecting on these gospel readings can help us to know Jesus in a much deeper way. John also shares with us his vision of the “end times” in the Book of Revelation. This book is probably the most misunderstood book in the bible. One of the things it teaches is the Christian belief that good will be victorious over evil. The book of Revelation also gives us the image of Jesus as “The Lamb of God”.
St. John was the only apostle who did not flee during the death of Jesus. He stood courageously at the foot of the cross with Mary and the other women. It is during the crucifixion that Jesus says,
“Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple. “Here is your mother.“ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. (John 19.26)
This is why Catholics consider Mary to be their spiritual mother.
The home John and Mary lived in is believed to be in Ephesus. After its discovery, it became a shrine for pilgrims. Tradition states that Joseph had died earlier in the life of Jesus. John lived primarily in Jerusalem and Ephesus after the crucifixion. He founded churches in Asia Minor.
Popular legend tells us Roman officers attempted to poison him. However, when John blessed the chalice the poison was turned into a snake. He was then ordered cast into boiling oil but because he was uninjured he was banished to the island of Patnos for a year. He lived to an old age, dying around the year 100.
Prayer to St. John the Evangelist
Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light, that we, being illuminated by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life, through Jesus Christ Our Lord, who lives and reigns with your and the Holy Spirit one God for ever and ever. Amen
The feast day of St. Stephen is celebrated on December 26. He was a disciple of Jesus.
St. Stephen is believed to be one of the 72 original disciples of Our Lord. After the ascension of Jesus he became one of the first seven deacons of the Catholic Church. He is considered the first to be martyred for the faith. In the book of Acts:6 we learn the story of the plot against St. Stephen. He was accused of blasphemy against the Jewish temple. This resulted in him being condemned and then stoned to death. Before his death he cried out to the Lord to forgive those persecuting him.
Look! I see an opening in the sky, and the Son of Man standing
at God’s right hand…Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Unlike Easter which has always been celebrated by the Church, the feast day of Christmas was not firmly established until the fourth century. Because the birthday of Jesus was unknown, it was decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. This would also coincide with the winter solstice festivals. The date symbolizes that Jesus is the Light of the World. In the Gospel of John 8:12 Jesus said;
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Christmas also focuses on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both full divine and fully human. It states in Luke 2:9:
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid; for see…I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying;
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another;
“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, but Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The Catholic Church celebrates Christmas for twelve days.
While the Nativity of Our Lord is celebrated Dec. 25, the Twelve days of Christmas begins on Christmas Day, Dec. 25(beginning at sundown), and ends at sunrise on Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. During the Christmas season the priest’s vestments are gold to symbolize the sacredness of the Christmas season. The change in the color of vestments indicates that Advent is over. During Advent, the priest’s vestments are purple to symbolize the holy season of waiting and prayer.
According to legend, the song The Twelve Days of Christmas was actually written by Jesuit priests in England during the sixteenth century. It was a time of persecution and the song was used to secretly teach basic facts regarding the Catholic faith. If someone studied all the items represented in the song they knew the basics of the catholic faith.
Each number had a secret meaning:
Twelve represented the twelve teachings mentioned in the Apostles Creed;
Five represented the first books of the Old Testament;
Four represented the four gospels;
Three represented the Trinity;
Two represented the two natures of Christ…human and divine;
and One represented Jesus himself, our Lord and our God.
The Pear Tree represented the cross we must carry when we follow Christ.
The Apostles’ Creed is a summary of the faith taught by the Apostles. When we pray the Apostles Creed we are professing our faith in the church begun by the Apostles.
The Apostles’ Creed
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
The communion of saints,
The resurrection of the body
and life everlasting. Amen
The Catholic Church has feast days throughout the year. Many of its feast days are in honor of the saints. The feast day given to a saint is usually the day he or she died and entered heaven.
Take a small amount of time each day during the twelve days of Christmas to meditate on the actual feast day we are celebrating.
The Holy Innocents are the innocent children murdered by King Herod after the Magi told him about birth of the new King of the Jews, called the Christ child. The little children were murdered in an attempt to find and murder Christ, “The King of the Jews”.
St. Anysia was a martyr in Greece. She lived from 284-309. She was killed with a sword after being accosted by a soldier. She used her wealth to help the poor.
The prayer of a good innocent,and obedient child is like dew from heaven falling upon his whole family.
St. Sylvester I was the Bishop of Rome. He died in the year 335 after helping to define doctrine at the Council of Nicea which proclaimed the Nicean Creed.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the first native born American to be canonized. She lived in New York, dying in 1821. She is the Founder and first Superior of the Sister of Charity in the U.S.
“Be attentive to the voice of Grace.”
Quote of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
St. John N. Neumann
St. John N. Neumann; Feast Day January 5
St. John N. Neumann was born in Bohemia. He emigrated to the U.S. becoming a Redemptorist priest and the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. He is the first American bishop to be canonized.
The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the Three Kings following the star to visit Jesus. They brought the King of the Jews gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The feast day of St. Peter Canisius is celebrated on December 21. He is the patron saint of the Catholic Press, a Jesuit priest and a Doctor of the Church.
St. Peter Canistius was born in Holland in 1521. He received his masters degree at the age of 19 from the University of Cologne. He studied art, law, and theology. He met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius, at a retreat. Soon after, he decided to become a member of the Society of Jesus, (the Jesuits). He was ordained in 1546. During the Council of Trent he was a delegate. St. Peter taught at several universities and established colleges and seminaries. He also wrote a catechism for lay people which was easy to understand. It was translated into twelve languages. He was an eloquent preacher, leading the counter reformation and renewing the faith in southern Germany. He also led reform in Austria, Bavaria and Bohemia.
After Mass one day, he received a vision of the Sacred Heart. Afterward, he offered his work to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Prior to his death he suffered from a paralytic seizure. He continued preaching and writing until his death on Dec. 21, 1597.
“Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ.”
