The Octave of Christmas

Christmas is the second most important feast in the liturgical year; Easter, the first. They are so important that the Church takes a week to reflect on their significance and calls this 8-day meditation period an Octave. The whole week is seen as one day, hence references to Christmas, even on Monday, or Friday are made as if it were Christmas Day itself. Saints are commemoriated, such as St. Stephen, St. John, the Holy Innocents, St. Sylvester, Pope, but their contributions to the life of the Church are seen in the light of Christmas. Hence, St. John's reference to the Incarnation, the Word made Flesh, and his own experience of having seen with his own eyes, looked upon and touched with his hands, "the word made visible" help us understand this great Mystery even more. St. Marcellin's words during community adoration of the Child Jesus in the crib, are as concrete and moving as St. John's: "There is nothing so lovable as a child; his innocnece, his simplicity, his genteleness, his caresses and even his weakness are capable of touching and winning the hardest and cruellest of hearts. How, then, can we not help loving Jesus, who became a child to stimulate our confidence, to demonstrate the excess of his love and to let us see that he can refuse us nothing? No one is easier to get on with and more pliant that a child; he gives all, he pardons all, he forgets all; the merest trifle delights him, calms him and fills him with happiness; in his heart is niether guile nor rancour, for he is all tenderness, all sweetness." (Life, bi--centenary edition, page 321). No wonder he went to such pains to insure that children were well-instructed in the faith, but above all, loved by their teachers. With children being subjected to neglect and abuse, we must turn a Christmas ear to their plight and do what we can to aleviate it.
Bro. Rene