What do the short winter days tell us about the Nativity?
This time of year (for those of us in the northern hemisphere) illustrates something very important about Jesus and his cousin John.
Today is the winter solstice.
“Okay,” you may say, “That’s nice. Why should I care?”
Well, the winter solstice isn’t simply a matter of astronomy. It’s spiritually illuminating.
Since the peak of summer, the days have been growing shorter. Night comes sooner. Some parts of the country have lost as many as six hours of daylight by now! The winter solstice, then, is a big event because it marks the beginning of longer days. Every year, it takes place right around Christmas.
This timing is significant.
John the Baptist’s birthday is on June 24. Funny how close that is to the summer solstice, when days begin to shorten. After John’s birthday, daylight shortens until Christmas comes, Christ’s birthday, and the days lengthen again. This reflects what John says about Jesus: “He must increase, while I must decrease.”
Thus, the decline and increase of light is a visual illustration of John’s metaphorical “decreasing” as he prepares the world for the coming of Christ—and of Jesus’ light entering the world after the Nativity. Jesus enters the world at the darkest time of year, just in time for the daylight to start growing in duration.
This uncanny physical and spiritual correlation shows how the calendar reflects the purpose of its Creator. The calendar is handy, too, for helping us keep track of upcoming events in our lives. Invite
Why is Bethlehem called “the city of David”?
Isn’t Jerusalem more important for King David than Bethlehem?
Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
This beloved Christmas song describes the scene of the Nativity, so we know we’re in Bethlehem.
But why is it called “royal David’s city”? David was the king of Judea, and his throne was in Jerusalem. Wouldn’t that city be called royal David’s city?
Yes, all the kings of Judea governed from Jerusalem—however, David was born…in Bethlehem.
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
The first time we hear of David in Sacred Scripture, he is living with his father, Jesse the Bethlehemite (1 Sam. 16). How fitting and beautiful that Jesus Christ—the longed-for Messiah—is later born in the same city as the king whose lineage He entered into!
Also significant is the name “Bethlehem,” which means, in Hebrew, “House of Bread.” Ponder the Eucharistic meaning hidden in that name this Christmas!
What’s the tradition of the Christmas “Oplatki” wafer?
The spirit of Christ-like charity is baked into this wafer-bread.
The Oplatki have an unassuming appearance and only the mildest flavor, looking more like a thick piece of paper.
This modest appearance, however, conceals a symbolically-rich custom.
The Christmas wafers come from Eastern Europe. The name means “Angel Bread.” Made only of flour and water, they are stamped with Christmas images such as the Star of Bethlehem or the Nativity.
On Christmas Eve, the head of the family prays for the members of his family, present or absent, then breaks a piece off the wafer and gives it to each person. As the family members receive the wafer pieces, they are greeted with a kiss and a felicitation for a joyful feast. They then return the greeting in the same way.
The lesson of this custom is that the family must be united with the bonds of charity. It reminds us that we do not seek salvation alone, but with others, especially our family. We should help each other obtain salvation, always bearing Christ-like charity toward one another. When we are united in charity, we are joined, by the head of the family, to the unbroken links of One Body, One Bread, One Christ, and One Church.
Do you want to renew and cultivate the bond of charity you have with your family? Incorporate the Oplatki Christmas Wafers tradition into your own family customs this year. The
Where did the three Kings come from?
We know that they came from the East, but where exactly were their home countries?
When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him.”
—Matthew 2:1-2
Today, January 6th, is the traditional date for the feast of the Epiphany. It is still kept today in some places, though here in the U.S. most parishes celebrated it this past Sunday.
This glorious feast concludes the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and commemorates the coming of the three wise men—St. Melchior, St. Balthasar, and St. Caspar—from the Orient to worship the newborn King.
We don’t know for sure the exact place they came from or who precisely they were, but the word St. Matthew uses—magos—probably refers to astrologers of the priestly class of Persia (modern-day Iran) who were known for their expertise in star-interpretation.
The gifts they brought were not only precious commodities. Each one carried a deep significance that showed how much the Magi revered the Christ Child, and Who they considered Him to be. Gold represents Christ’s Kingship, frankincense His Divinity, and myrrh—an embalming ointment—the death for which He was destined.
How long is the Christmas season?
Don’t ditch your tree on December 26th. Christmas is just getting started!
One of the joys of being Catholic is that we accord our great feast days all the festivity they deserve.
For us, Christmas is not merely a one-day event that is over as soon as it has begun.
In fact, while Christmas Day itself is the 25th, the Feast really lasts a full 8 days: an octave. The Church celebrates her most sacred feasts with octaves. In the current calendar, Christmas and Easter have their own octaves, and in the older calendar, feasts such as Pentecost did as well.
And the season of Christmas doesn’t end after the octave. Our celebrations continue through the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” which end on the Feast of the Epiphany—January 6th, though it is often transferred to the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th.
And still, we keep celebrating.
According to the current calendar of the Church, the Christmas season doesn’t end until the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, which usually occurs on the Sunday following Epiphany.
According to the older calendar, the Christmas season goes all the way through February 2nd, the Feast of Candlemas. Also called the Purification of Our Lady, or the Presentation of Our Lord, this feast commemorates the day Our Lady went to the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic Law forty days after Our Lord’s birth.
Christmas is a season, not just a day. The Church invites us to celebrate this most glorious mystery of our redemption with weeks of rejoicing. Another happy effect of this arrangement is that we are able to observe Advent with a certain reserve, penitence, and anticipation—to use it as a true spiritual preparation for Christmas joy and festivities.
Even though the world forgets Christmas on December 26th, we encourage you to keep those decorations up and continue exulting with the angels at the coming of the Savior to earth!
How far was Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem?
On this last day of Advent, our thoughts turn to a humble couple, weary from their long journey.
Mary and Joseph were tired. They had just traveled between 70 and 90 miles, depending on the route they took.
This is a long way for anyone, let alone a woman nine months pregnant. Some say she would have walked rather than ridden a donkey, as is often depicted. Either way, it would have been an intensely wearying trip!
In addition to this, consider the time of year. It was winter, and the weather was cold and harsh. When Mary and Joseph at last arrived at their destination, no comfort awaited them. The inn was full and they had to take refuge in a stable.
Of course, this was not simply bad luck. Our Lord chose these conditions.
He chose, from the very outset of His life, what was humble and poor. He could have been born in a palace; He chose a stable instead. He could have rested in a royal crib; He preferred a manger. He could have been wrapped in the richest, warmest blankets; He chose swaddling clothes.
The words of the well-known hymn, O Little Town of Bethlehem, come to mind when we think of this sleeping Child, unknown but to a few, quiet and humble, God Himself among men, silent and small…
“…in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light…
the hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.”
Truly, all the hopes and longing of God’s people—chronicled throughout the Scriptures that had foretold His coming for so long—have come to rest tonight in this humble Child.
What is the oldest Christmas carol?
There are a few strong contenders, but only one can take the prize.
How old do you think the oldest Christmas carol is?
Maybe a hymn from medieval France, 14th century perhaps? Or could it be the 12th century, during the golden age of Catholicism in Europe? Or the 13th century, the time of St. Francis of Assisi, who helped popularize Christmas caroling?
Maybe older…perhaps there are some Celtic hymns from the 8th or 9th centuries.
Not even close.
Three hymns are nearly always brought up during this conversation: Jesus refulsit omnium by St. Hilary of Poitiers; Veni redemptor gentium by St. Ambrose; and Corde natus ex parentis by poet Aurelius Prudentius.
All of them date from the 4th century.
Since Prudentius (348 AD – 405 AD) was only twenty when Hilary (315 AD – 368 AD) died, his hymn is not likely the oldest. So it comes down to the two Doctors, Hilary and Ambrose.
Ambrose (340 AD – 397 AD) is enough of a contemporary of Hilary to offer stiff competition for the oldest carol. It might be a photo finish.
But wait!
A dark horse has come charging in from the back of the pack, and has asserted itself as far older than either of these compositions.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo! is the joyful name of our new contender.
Ah yes. In all our studying and comparison of names and dates, we forgot who sang the first Christmas hymn.
It was the angels, on Christmas night, and we have at least some of the lyrics in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke: Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis, the angels sang. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will.
Well, it’s hard to argue with that!
The words of the first Christmas hymn are encapsulated not only in some of the most popular carols we hear today—Angels We Have Heard on High and Ding Dong Merrily On High—it is also part of the Holy Mass which we hear year ‘round. So it can also claim the title of the most-frequently-sung carol.
Well, it’s an upset. The angels win.
Since we will have to wait until Heaven to really hear the angels sing, a good substitute is a recording of angelic Christmas chants by some of the best chanters out there. Sancta Nox is a new release by the seminarians of St. Peter’s Seminary in Wigratzbad, Germany. In the majestic confines of a 12th-century abbey, they have recorded Christmas Matins—with both Gregorian chant and polyphonic numbers included—and a multilingual rendition of Silent Night. A piece of heaven to bring to your Christmas celebrations!
What are the “O Antiphons”?
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”
The beloved Advent hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a musical rendering of the Greater Advent Antiphons, also called the “O” Antiphons based on the initial letter of each. They are sung at the Magnificat during Vespers (Evening Prayer) from today, December 17th, through December 23rd.
These verses are a heart-rending plea for the Messiah to appear and save His people. They address Him by the titles He is given in Sacred Scripture and encapsulate the profound longing of God’s people for their Savior.
Thousands of years of salvation history, thousands of years of waiting—of aching—for the Messiah find expression in these short, simple, yet intensely moving words.
The great liturgical commentator Dom Prosper Guéranger notes that these Antiphons are sung at Vespers because Our Lord came at the “evening of the world,” and are placed at the Magnificat to illustrate that He came to us through Our Lady.
A fascinating fact about these antiphons is that Our Lord’s answer is rendered within them as an acronym. If you take the first letters of each Latin title, beginning with the last (Emmanuel) and working backward to the first (Sapientia), it spells ERO CRAS, which means “Tomorrow I will come” in Latin!
Here are all seven antiphons. Make them a part of your prayer over the next seven days as you make your final preparations for our long-awaited Savior.
December 17 – O Sapientia
O Wisdom, that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!
December 18 – O Adonai
O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!
December 19 – O Radix Jesse
O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.
December 20 – O Clavis David
O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
December 21 – O Oriens
O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Sun of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
December 22 – O Rex Gentium
O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Cornerstone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!
December 23 – O Emmanuel
O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!
Who created the first nativity scene?
A beloved saint brought us this most beloved Christmas tradition.
Every year, one of your favorite Advent traditions is probably setting up your Nativity set.
Perhaps your nativity is made of wood, or silver, or china, or simple plastic; maybe you put it on the mantelpiece, or in the center of the dining room table. Many of us have a large one that we place outdoors so that passers-by can enjoy it; we might also have a tiny one that we place by our bedside to remind ourselves of the reason for the Christmas season.
We keep the Baby Jesus hidden away, ready to place Him in the manger on Christmas morning.
The three Kings are placed in a different part of the house; they will arrive on Epiphany and not before.
Devout citizens place Nativity scenes in public places, at state capitols, in parks, to bring the light of Christmas to their fellow-men. They fight to keep Christ in the public square even as others try to remove Him. This year, after all the struggle, 40 states have a Nativity scene in or at their capitol building.
But who invented the Nativity scene?
It was a deacon in Italy in the 13th century, who had a special love for the Child Jesus. He hatched a plan to inspire this same love in the townspeople.
In a cave near the town, he set up a manger and brought a real ox and donkey to play their part. He invited the people to Midnight Mass at the cave, and they came, the forest ringing with song and bright with candlelight. After chanting the Gospel, the deacon preached a sermon about the Babe of Bethlehem, Whose Name he could not utter for sheer love.
He kept the manger empty, since the Child had not arrived yet. But one man—a holy citizen and former soldier who was a friend of the deacon—said that he saw, in the manger, a beautiful, radiant Child. He witnessed the deacon gathering this Child devoutly in his arms.
Of course, the deacon was none other than St. Francis of Assisi, and this is the story of the first Nativity scene, as related by St. Bonaventure in his biography of the saint. Bonaventure also relates that the hay from that first crèche was saved by the townspeople in attendance and that it miraculously cured ailing cattle.
When we put our Nativity sets out this Christmas, we are continuing a tradition that started nearly 800 years ago, in 1223.
Gaudete Sunday
Gaudete Sunday was originally a day to relax Advent penance and to rest, preparing ourselves for the final stretch of this penitential season.
The modern observance of Advent is often difficult to distinguish from the season of Christmas. The secular world is already in full party mode, with Christmas sweets, social celebrations and even gift-giving.
It’s almost laughable to think of Advent today as a season of penance and fasting.
Yet, for most of Christian history Advent was exactly that, a penitential season that was similar to Lent, though never as strict. It consisted of periodic fasting and personal sacrifices, traditions that are in stark contrast to the modern delicacies everyone enjoys throughout the month of December.
This is why Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, can be so confusing, as one of the original reasons behind this joyful Sunday was to relax the penances everyone was engaged in.
In the 1902 edition of the American Ecclesiastical Review, the author notes this aspect of Gaudete Sunday.
This spirit of self restraint belongs as has been said to Advent, which is a preparation for the Christmas joys. We are making ready for the reception of our Heavenly King coming to dwell with us for a time on earth and in our hearts permanently … But the season is long, the work tiresome, and the body weak. And as the laborer rests at times in the midst of his task to take a glance at what has been accomplished and to refresh himself with the anticipation of the joy that awaits him at the end of his work, so the Christian stops in the midst of Advent preparation to rehearse for a moment the sweet melody of coming Christmas chant and to take in the full meaning of the encouraging words of the Holy Spouse, his Mother the Church, as she calls out to her children, Gaudete, that is “Be joyful,” the Lord the Emmanuel your consolation and Savior is at hand.
While it may be difficult for us to reclaim the original spirit of Advent, we can make deliberate choices to hold off eating the Christmas cookies until Christmas Eve.
At the same time, we could also make Gaudete Sunday more joyful, indulging in some of our Christmas sweets on that day, while observing a more sombre Advent before and after.
Whatever we do, let us recall how our ancestors observed this sacred season and learn from them, understanding how we can prepare our hearts to better receive the graces of Christmas into our soul.
Saint Nicholas
The absence of the “hard facts” of history is not necessarily an obstacle to the popularity of saints, as the devotion to Saint Nicholas shows.Both the Eastern and Western Churches honor him, and it is claimed that after the Blessed Virgin, he is the saint most pictured by Christian artists. And yet historically, we can pinpoint only the fact that Nicholas was the fourth-century bishop of Myra, a city in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor.
As with many of the saints, however, we are able to capture the relationship which Nicholas had with God through the admiration which Christians have had for him—an admiration expressed in the colorful stories which have been told and retold through the centuries.
Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint’s feast. In the English-speaking countries, Saint Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus—further expanding the example of generosity portrayed by this holy bishop.
What is the origin of Christmas stockings?
St. Nicholas is said to have inspired this beloved Christmas tradition.
The old man went to bed sad that night. There is no worse feeling for a father than being powerless to protect his children and give them a good life. And it seemed as though he had failed in this regard. It had been a hard year, and he and his daughters barely had enough money to live on from day to day. There was no way he could provide a dowry for them. Without that, they couldn’t marry and faced a life of slavery.
His daughters were afraid, too, but tried to be hopeful. They spoke words of comfort to each other as they did their evening chores. Maybe something good would come along, maybe a miracle would happen, they said. Scrubbing their stockings clean as best they could, they hung them up by the window to dry near the dying fire. Then they went to bed.
The next morning, the daughters went to collect their stockings. But as they approached the window where they hung, what did they see? The stockings were stretched out of shape, with a lump of something in the toes. They quickly investigated, and nearly cried for joy when they found gold coins in each one—more than enough to pay a good dowry. They ran to tell their father, and all four gave thanks to God. Indeed, a miracle had happened.
God’s agent that night had been a clever and generous soul named Nicholas. He had heard of the father’s plight and, wishing to spare the father the shame of accepting charity, had snuck to the window during the night and tossed the money inside, where it had landed inside the girls’ stockings. Nicholas had saved the day—and started a tradition.
This legend of the Christmas stockings is one of the most famous stories handed down to us about St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra in modern-day Turkey. Appearing under various regional titles—“Father Christmas” in Great Britain, “Sinterklaas” in the Netherlands, or “Papa Noël” in France—good St. Nicholas has become the symbol of generosity everywhere Christmas is celebrated
What is the “Christmas Nail”?
It’s a little ornament that carries a profound meaning.
Maybe this Christmas, a friend will visit your house. As they admire your Christmas tree decorated with lights, images of the Nativity, perhaps some colorful ribbon and a snowman or two, they’ll spy a strange little ornament hanging close to the trunk of the tree. It’s almost invisible—hidden behind branches and lights and other decorations.
It’s a plain, long nail—much like the nails that pierced the hands and feet of Christ during His Passion. Your guests might wonder why such a nail would be found on a Christmas tree.
You’ll explain to them that Jesus was born in Bethlehem so that, thirty-three years later, He could die for our sins on Calvary. The Nail is a reminder of the Passion this little babe would undergo, as innocent at His death as He was at His birth. It reminds us of His sufferings and the incredible love that motivated both His earthly nativity and His death. This Nail decorates a Christmas tree, and the nails of His Passion decorated the Tree of the Cross.
The Nail is not in a place of prominence, but almost hidden away near the trunk. It is not so much a decoration, but a prayerful reminder for the family and for those guests with particularly keen eyes and hearts.
A poem explains the meaning of The Christmas Nail:
This is The Christmas Nail.
It is to be hung on a sturdy branch,
a branch near the trunk,
a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers
dropping by to admire one’s tinseled tree.
The nail is known only to the home that hangs it.
Understood only by the heart that knows its significance.
It is hung with the thought that the Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ-tree
which only He could decorate for us,
ornamented with nails as this.
An Advent tradition for young and old
For many families, preparing the manger for Jesus is an essential part of Advent.
December is here. We are four days into Advent. We are a mere twenty-four days from Christmas.
The Christmas busy-ness has already begun—decorating the house, preparing for guests, putting up lights, buying gifts, writing cards…
It’s far too easy to get far too busy far too quickly at this time of year. You may be feeling stressed already.
So how about an Advent tradition that brings you and your family back to the true purpose of this season—not so much preparing a house for guests (though that’s important, too), but preparing our hearts for Christ Himself, the most important Guest of all?
In order to keep the focus on Christ, many families have an annual tradition of “preparing the manger” for Him. This is not a one-time activity, but a simple daily routine throughout Advent that helps keep Christ at the center of everyone’s day. It is an especially suitable tradition for children, but everyone can participate.
Here’s how it works. You start with an empty manger, and for every good deed you do throughout the day, you add a piece of straw. If you are rich in good deeds during Advent, the manger will be full of soft straw when the Divine Guest arrives. The more good deeds you do, the softer the manger will be.
On Christmas Day, place a figure of the Baby Jesus in the manger, made soft and comfortable by all those good works.
You can use real straw, paper strips, yarn, or another material for the straw. For the manger, you can use a basket or box, or build one yourself. You can get creative with this wonderful tradition and add your own elements—some families take straw out if one of them does something bad, which works as a teaching tool!