The Christmas Season We are still celebrating!!

Is your tree already put away? Are the ornaments carefully boxed and stored? Is your nativity set in the closet? Are your outside lights wound up and put away? OR are you still celebrating the birth of Jesus? Our Church is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feasts of the Christmas Season In todays church calendar, there are always three Sundays after Christmas that have their own special feasts: 1 st Sunday: Feast of the Holy Family (who are they?) 2 nd Sunday: Epiphany (what is this?) 3 rd Sunday: Baptism of Jesus Then we begin Ordinary Time again Here are some other feast days of the Christmas season: Saint Stephen (Dec. 26) (You do remember him?) Feast of St. John the Apostle Feast of the Holy Innocents (who are they?) ( Dec. 28) January 1: Solemnity of Mary January 4: Elizabeth Ann Seton January 5: Saint John Neumann January 6: Feast of the Epiphany (WHAT? But that was last Sunday????)

The Twelve Days of Christmas Originally, Christmas was celebrated for 12 days and the Christmas season always ended on January 6, which is the feast of the Epiphany This is confusing!!! If you want to know about what the Church celebrates when, you can always use a liturgical calendar. (Who remembers when the church year begins?)

Liturgical Calendar

Feast of the Ephiphany Also called: Adoration of the Magi Feast of the Three Kings/Wise Men/Astrologers Little Christmas We can read this story in Matthews gospel Matthew 2: 1-12 (Read it NOW)

But what is an epiphany? An epiphany is a manifestation or a showing of something. What was Matthew trying to show when he wrote this story? To understand that, it is helpful to know Who was Matthews audience?

JEWISH CHRISTIANS Matthew was writing for newly converted Jews (commonly called Jesus Jews or Jewish Christians) He was telling them that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. BUT the three kings were from the east They were not Jews…they were Gentiles. SO WHAT? IS THAT IMPORTANT? YES!!!!

Jesus came for ALL people and not just the Jews This is what is being manifest or shown in the story

Astrologers People who try to draw conclusions by studying the stars Rising of a new star in ancient times meant a new king was born It also meant an official visit by a royal person to his realm…it was a public showing

Interesting things about this feast from Catholic tradition The kings symbolize ALL people. The kings had names and the gifts were symbolic

Melchior Was old and white haired Brought the GOLD Gold is symbolic of kingship Jesus deserves gold because he is a king

Casper Young (or younger) Brought the frankincense Represents divinity because when it is burned in prayer offerings, the smoke goes up to God

Balthazar Traditionally this king is dark skinned He brought the myrrh Myrrh was used to anoint dead bodies to keep them from smelling This gift symbolizes Jesus humanity

So…think about your nativity set: also called a creche Is yours in keeping with tradition? Are your three kings correctly depicted?

Good thing the kings did not feel like this! Jesus came for all of us…we are therefore already involved.