This is an excerpt from my sermon on December 26. With it, I introduced my congregation to the idea of the Christmas Season from Christmas to Epiphany. Over the remainder of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” I will be offering some Christmas reflections to help us use this season to the full. Tomorrow: "Jesus is not a Partridge: The Urban Legend of the Twelve Days."
Well, Christmas is over. At least that is what it says in the paper today. The “Day After Christmas sales” are in full force (and frankly I am pleasantly surprised that any of you are here when you can get wrapping paper at 80% off). The local Starbucks won’t be offering any more seasonal favorites, the radio stations will stop playing “White Christmas” in Orange County and many of you are going to spend the afternoon doing nothing but tearing down the Christmas tree so that you can get it into the morning’s trash pick-up. In Canada it’s Boxing Day. (Not sure if that means that ordinarily mild manner Canadians are going to don gloves and play like Muhammad Ali, but that’s what they call it).
I know that some of you expected to come into worship this morning and find the decorations down and a new series begun, and most likely, me on vacation. You may even think that we were just too lazy to getting around to cleaning up. (I’ll bet some of your houses are still messy from Christmas, huh? We need to go home and clean up the wrapping paper just so we can find the cat.)
But whether we want it to be or not, Christmas isn’t done yet. While Christmas day is over, the Christmas SEASON has really just begun. You know that old carol, “The Twelve days of Christmas?” Well what it refers to are the days between Christmas and Epiphany—the day where we celebrate the coming of the Magi and the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles. (If you are keeping track, Sunday was Two Turtle Dove Day).
In the same way that Advent was the season of preparation, the Christmas Season is the time of celebration. The season in the church where we reflect upon the Christmas Story and celebrate all the depth of mystery of the incarnation and what God’s presence means to us. Between now and Epiphany we can say with full spiritual conviction that Christmas isn’t done yet.
Now, the great temptation on this day after Christmas is to put Christmas away. In our house, being aware that you didn’t get the Head CMT 75 Monster Skis with Tyrolia bindings you wanted for Christmas means that you can immediately start looking forward to your birthday. Getting Christmas behind us means we can start looking forward to the new year. Usually by this time we are so filled with feasting that we almost eager to start a New Year’s fast.
But, we need time to reflect on the meaning and purpose of Christmas. There is way too much going on, way too much at stake, way too important a message to let it get lost in the leftovers and thrown out with untied ribbons and torn wrapping paper.
Now that Christmas day is over, focus on the Christmas Season. Now that society has given up on Christmas carols, use the next two weeks to sing and ponder something much greater than a season. (Mark Roberts' reflection on "Joy to the World" is a great place to start.) For the next eleven days, you can follow along here for some devotional thoughts. And now that the party is over, let the reflection and celebration truly begin.
Let the next eleven days take you deeper into the both the taste and the thirst of Christmas. That which we want and continue to want from the God who has come to earth, how the incarnation meets the needs of the world, but how they are still unfulfilled.
Use the next eleven days to reflect upon the joy of God’s presence and where you experienced being known and loved and where that joy is still unfulfilled.
Use the next eleven days to reflect upon the peace on Earth that is proclaimed at Christmas, how you experienced that peace and how it is still so terribly unfulfilled.
Use the next eleven days to reflect upon the purpose of life to give glory to God—to reveal God’s presence—and let both the taste and the thirst lead you to seek to live a life that more and more aware that what you really wanted for Christmas, you still want.
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