Editorial

May the gift of Christ’s birth inspire us to share the love of God this Christmas and beyond

We all know the story.

We return to Bethlehem this time each year, awaiting the birth of the Christ Child.

In the weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas, we read about Mary’s “yes” to become Mother of our Savior. She serves as a model of hope, faithful waiting and preparation for Jesus’ arrival. Her unequivocal response in faith is one we are called to follow each day as we live our vocations as disciples of Christ.

We reflect on John the Baptist’s role as one of the greatest of the prophets. He is the promised second coming of Elijah, and he sets in motion the coming of the Messiah. John cried out, “Prepare the way of the Lord” (Mk 1:3). Centuries later, we are called during Advent to prepare for Christmas in the same way.

Our faith teaches us that Christmas is one of the most important days of the Church year, second only to Easter itself. Celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the culmination of the mystery of the incarnation, the feast of God becoming flesh.

As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reminded us on their website in 2023, “It is a uniquely Christian teaching, the divine choosing to become one of us. Because of this belief, God is

not only transcendent, but also wholly immanent, Emmanuel [God-with-us]. While remaining transcendent [meaning we must rise above our present condition to reach him], he is at the same time immanent [meaning he is with us as we rise toward him]. Every Eucharist is like Christmas where the bread and wine are transformed into his flesh, his body and blood, and, in a sense, he is born anew on the altar.”

Despite some in society’s attempts to secularize this holy season, we make time to revisit the manger that is at the heart of the Nativity scene, where the Child and Mary and Joseph are surrounded by animals, and viewed in awe by shepherds and wise men who pay them homage. The heavens rejoice. The Earth resounds with hope.

How can a scene so simple fill us with such immeasurable joy?

It is because we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him, including the fact that he was born to die for us.

It is also because Christ offers a shining light into all the dark corners of our world.

This celebration is so central to our faith as Catholics that we must remember that it doesn’t end on Dec. 25.

The octave of Christmas continues through Jan.1, and the Christmas season itself extends until the Baptism of the Lord.

As we examine the calendar, we see that feast days and solemnities mark the period: the Nativity, on Dec. 25; the feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr on Dec. 26; the feast of St. John the Evangelist, Apostle, and author of the fourth Gospel, three letters, and the Book of Revelation, on Dec. 27; the feast of the Holy Innocents, on Dec. 28, the male child victims slaughtered by King Herod; the feast of the Holy Family, on Dec. 29; the feast of St. Sylvester, on Dec. 31, and the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, on Jan. 1. We recite the Gloria each day of the Octave. We then continue marking the Christmas season through Epiphany, celebrated on Jan. 4, and officially end it with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 11.

During this special time of year, let us remember that God so loved us that he became one of us, and that he gives us more than we can ever give in return.

May that generosity inspire us to celebrate this holy season—and beyond—with an outpouring of God’s unending love.

—Mike Krokos