Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas is a festival of light, of the light of the world who came into the world and that the darkness could never put it out. It was a festival of light in ancient Rome, the Saturnalia (or Lupercalia as it was often called). But it’s roots are much deeper in human history. Humans had figured out long before they kept any records that this was the day when there was a little more light in the sky, winter as bad as it is, had not won, darkness was fading and light was returning.

So it is not an accident that the early Christians decided that it was a perfect time to celebrate the coming of he true light of the world, of which the sun was only a pale symbol – for all its mighty power and our utter dependence on it.

Hence in the three masses of Christmas there are twenty references to light.

Fr. Greeley's Last Book:

Once there was a little girl named Henrietta, Hety for short. She hated Christmas. There was too much noise, too much disorder, too much excitement. She didn’t like the Christmas tree lights which often didn’t work, she didn’t like the mess of Christmas wrappings all around the floor, she didn’t exactly like all the Christmas carols, or the snow and mud tramped into the house and, or the disappointment with the Christmas presents, even though she usually received all she had asked for or that her parents and brothers and sisters lost their tempers very quickly (Hety never lost her temper, well not very often anyhow).

Why, she demanded, did Jesus have to come at Christmas time. Couldn’t he chosen a day when everyone is more relaxed? Why did he not come a time when it was easy to pray and not a time when everyone was running around like crazy people. But, her mother said, Hety, Christmas means Christ Mass, the Mass on Our Lord’s birthday?

Oh, said Hety pondering this truth. Well, she said OK, but then why does it have to be during the holidays.

Her mother admitted that it was a very good question.

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Psalms: 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

R/ (7a , 8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
constantly seek his face.
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations
which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R/ The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Gospel Passage:

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
They took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
—and you yourself a sword will pierce—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

Why Stay Catholic?
Catholic publishing eminence Leach asks, and answers, a good question that the nation’s second largest non-congregation – the church of ex-Catholics poses.
This book has a chapter about Fr. Greeley and is dedicated to him. Great read!
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