Sunday after CHRISTMAS

Tomorrow is the Sunday within the octave of Christmas, 2013. We are still contemplating the great mystery of Christmas. I had an epiphany of my own this morning, when I finally realized that when God said at the beginning of the world, "Let there be Light", He was referring to Christ already. What a dope I am. Anyway, I'm going to let our beloved Abott Gueranger, as he always does, explain about this day we are celebrating.

'...Thus the Church, or, more correctly, God--for God is the first author of the cycle of the year--shows us how the Incarnate Word, who came to save mankind, desires to give mankind confidence by this His adorable familiarity.

We have already shown that the Birth of our Lord took place on a Sunday, the Day on which, in the beginning of the world, God created Light. We shall find, later on, that his Resurrection also was on a Sunday. This the first day of creation, and the first of the week, was consecrated by the old Pagans to the Sun: with us Christians, it is most sacred and holy, on account of the two risings of our divine Sun of Justice--His Birth and His Resurrection. Whilst the solemnity of Easter is always kept on a Sunday, that of Christmas falls by turns on each of the days of the week--we have already had this difference explained to us by the Holy Fathers: but the mystery of Jesus' Birth is more aptly and strongly expressed, when its anniversary falls on a Sunday...

The Child that is born of Mary and is couched in the Crib at Bethlehem, raises his feeble voice to the Eternal Father, and calls him, My Father! He turns towards us and calls us My Brethren! We, consequently, when we speak to his Father, may call him Our Father! This is the mystery of adoption, revealed to us by the great event we are solemnizing. All things are changed, both is heaven and on earth: God has not only one Son, he has many sons; henceforth we stand before this our God, not merely creatures drawn out of nothing by his power, but children that he fondly loves. Heaven is now not only the throne of his sovereign Majesty; it has become our inheritance, in which we are joint-heirs with our Brother Jesus, the Son of Mary, Son of Eve, Son of Adam, according to his Human Nature, and (in the unity of Person) Son of God according to his Divine Nature. Let us turn our wondering and loving thoughts first to this sweet Babe, that has brought us all these blessings, and then to the blessings themselves, to the dear inheritance made ours by Him. Let our mind be seized with astonishment at creatures having such a destiny! and then let our heart pour out its thanks for the incomprehensible gift!'

And, to paraphrase the Abbot in another place: The Church(thanks to God) gives this Divine Infant to her faithful children in Holy communion(Christ always was, always is, and always will be), in order that they may carry him in their hearts, and bids them guard him against the snares laid for him by his and their enemies. Let the Christian, therefore, take heed lest Jesus should be taken from him. Let him, by strict watchfulness and by good works, crush the tyrant, sin, that seeks the life of the Divine Guest of his soul.

We need to be constantly vigilant in all that we do.