January 5, 2007
How many of you have already taken down your tree, pulled down the lights, and neatly packed away your Christmas ornaments until next year? If you have, you better pray Pope Benedict doesn’t decide to drop by for a visit this weekend—he would be a bit disappointed! It is true that although the Christmas octave is over, the season is still in gear until this Sunday’s celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany.
When it comes to celebrating and having a good time, many people think the Church is a “stick in the mud.” The truth is, it’s “the world,” not the Church, who puts a damper on the fun. While the Church reminds us that we should take a rest every Sunday, everyone else tells us to keep good and busy. Every Sunday we are called to “take a break” from ordinary everyday activities and do some celebrating. We are encouraged to get dressed up, get out of the house, and do something special, which will not only make us feel good, but become good. The Church tells us to rest and relax; the world tells us to run ourselves ragged.
It is somewhat sad to notice that for so many the celebration of the Lord’s birthday ends when the festive dinner dishes are washed, the colorful wrapping paper put in the bin, or, for those in retail, when the receipts are tallied. Christmas is for many like a fantastic fireworks display—right after all the “Ahh’s” and “Ooh’s,” everything becomes “ho-hum.” Like the blow-up Santas everyone seems to have on their lawn, the day deflates and becomes just a colorful pile of plastic only to be packed away until next year.
Well, what can we do this weekend to sustain the mystery and message of the Christmas season? Perhaps we can take some quiet time and think of what we have just celebrated. Instead of quickly pulling down the tree, we can take an evening when we dim the house lights, play some sacred seasonal music, and savor the beauty of the faith we enjoy. We also might grab the golden opportunity to pick up the phone and call an old friend, classmate, or estranged in-law just to say “Merry Christmas.” We all need a good excuse to contact those who haven’t—and should have—heard from us. Christmas is a great time to reconnect.
Why is it the Church tells us to keep the lights bright and the music playing? Why should we continue to celebrate for a whole season when everyone else appears to have pulled out of the party? Why should we be different than those who can’t seem to wait to get back to business?
Why? The reason, my friends, is because by the grace of God, you and I have been entrusted with a treasure, a truth so profound it must be pondered. To ponder something means to savor it like a good glass of wine. Unlike others, we cannot just gulp down the deep mystery of God’s coming like a shot of cheap whiskey. While we may not fully understand the mystery, like Mary we can accept it and ponder it. It’s not about the head alone, but the heart. The head thinks, the heart ponders.
When we spend some time looking up at a summer night’s sky, or sit at the edge of an ocean, or look at an infant sleeping in a crib, we gaze at these beautiful gifts, we don’t just stare at them. We understand with our heads, but it is the heart which appreciates and embraces God’s good gifts. The Scriptures tell us that Mary pondered the mystery of Christmas in her heart—and so should we.
At Christmas, the greatest gift one can receive is the gift of a deeper faith. We have been entrusted with a treasure more valuable than gold—the knowledge and the experience of God’s love in our lives. This is why in our lives we cannot stop singing. This is why our lights continue to burn brightly. God has come to us and lives in us—a mystery so big and so beautiful it cannot be packed away. Yes, Christ is born, glorify Him—every day!
Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
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