The Christmas season is more than a celebration of Christ's nativity; it is a multi-week celebration of his introduction to the world. Although we tend to think of Christmas as one day, the Catholic Church celebrates many important feast days that emphasize different aspects of Christ's early life. Often, multiple events have been celebrated on the same day, which can lead to confusion.
Jan. 1 is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, an important feast day that commemorates Mary's role as mother and her presence throughout the life of Jesus. The day also reminds us that we are connected to Jesus through Mary, and that God took on our humanity so that he can redeem us.
The Feast of the Circumcision is also celebrated on the first, and the feast places further emphasis on the human side of Jesus. In Luke 2:21, we are told that Jesus was born under the law so that he may fulfill it: "And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."
Symbolically, the circumcision is an act of sacrifice and of suffering. The moment foreshadows the Crucifixion, and we are reminded that everything in Christ's life is grounded in that ultimate act of salvation.
Linked with the Circumcision in the Gospel of Luke is the Feast of the Holy Name, which has since been decoupled and moved to different days. The angel gave Joseph the name, according to Matthew 1:21, "because he will save his people from their sins." Together, the three feasts reveal a Jesus who was born of flesh, suffers to fulfill the law and does so to save us from sin. These three celebrations are important, but they are only the first half of Christ's coming.
Jan. 6 is the Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates how the Magi, and thus the pagan people, came to honor Jesus. The feast also includes the Wedding at Cana and his Baptism, but the latter was given its own feast day in 1955. These three events were celebrated on one day because the term epiphany means appearance.
The Epiphany is how the Messiah was revealed to the world. By appearing to the Magi, Christ's message is able to relate to those throughout the world. At the Baptism, the Holy Spirit comes down and confirms to the crowd in Matthew 3:17 that Jesus is the Son of God. Through the Wedding at Cana, Christ performs his first miracle and begins his public ministry. Each is an important moment in its own respect, and each reveals a different side of Christ to a different group of people.
Too often in our society, Christmas is treated as one day that quickly passes, and the religious components are often disregarded. We focus only on the idea of gifts, and we forget the message of sacrifice and of love that is essential to the Christmas season.
By taking time to commemorate these additional feasts, we can more easily recognize Christ's message and focus our lives on following him.
