Ten Beautiful Gifts of the Christmas Octave

The primary focus, reason, and essence of Christmas is the Incarnation and birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Venerable Fulton Sheen asserts that the most important name that we can give to Jesus is that of Savior.

Attitude of Gratitude

Cognizant of our salvation through Jesus Christ, our hearts should be a reservoir overflowing with gratitude for the infinite graces that Jesus has acquired for us. We should especially be thankful for the eternal salvation of our immortal soul.

However, Jesus and His Mystical Body, the Church, constantly floods us with so many graces and blessings.

In the Octave of Christmas, the Church Calendar presents a series of extraordinary saints and feasts. Therefore, among these ten beautiful Christmas gifts are super-saints, our brothers and sisters and intercessors in Christ. May they pave our way to Jesus and Mary in this life and in eternal life.

1. December 26th—Saint Stephen

A man full of faith and love for the Word of God, zealous to preach and denounce evil and hypocrisy, imbued totally with the Holy Spirit and possessing an indomitable and courageous spirit, Saint Stephen is called the Protomartyr. The reason for this title is that he was the first in the early Church to shed his blood for Christ and the truth.

One saint can motivate others to be saints. While dying, in imitation of the Lord, Saint Stephen forgave his persecutors, living out the Gospel of mercy so dear to the Heart of Jesus. Who was there condoning the martyrdom of Saint Stephen? None other than the fiery, future Apostle, Saint Paul. Some have commented that the prayers and mercy of Stephen were the catalyst for the conversion of Saul to Saint Paul.

Let us beg for the Christmas gift to be imbued and permeated with the spirit of Saint Stephen, whose physical death was his birthday into heaven!

2. December 27th—Saint John, the Evangelist

Saint John the Evangelist is without doubt one of the key figures in the Gospel, as well as in the Primitive Church. In the inspired writing In Sinu Jesu—When Heart Speaks to Heart, the Journal of a Priest at Prayer, Saint John the Evangelist is depicted on the book’s front cover, resting on the side of Jesus at the Last Supper when the Lord is giving to the world the Eucharist, as well as the priesthood.

Therefore, as we beg for Christmas gifts for ourselves as well as for others, let us beg, through the intercession of Saint John the Evangelist, three graces: a dynamic, deep, and abiding Friendship with Jesus; an appreciation and love for the Priesthood; and a deeper faith and devotion for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the most Holy Eucharist.

3. December 28th—Feast of the Holy Innocents

After Herod recognized that he had been tricked by the Magi, he went into a furious rampage, sending out his soldiers to find and kill all the innocent baby boys in and near the vicinity of Bethlehem. Joseph, following a dream, rose in the middle of the night and taking Mary and the Infant Jesus fled to safety in Egypt. Meanwhile, Herod’s soldiers brutally massacred these innocent babies. These are the Holy Innocents who, though not even aware of it, shed their blood for the Infant Jesus.

Herod symbolizes and represents the macabre, morbid, mass-murder of innocent children through the sad reality of abortion. This should move us to offer up prayers, Rosaries, Masses and Holy Communions of reparation for this sin. “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” (Divine Mercy Chaplet)

4. December 29th—Feast of the Holy Family

Also, in the overall context of the Christmas Season, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph. We lift up our eyes, minds, and hearts to the Model and the Best of all earthly families. Jesus was the perfect Son; Mary, the perfect Mother and spouse; and Saint Joseph was the perfect spouse and Father.

The Holy Family teaches us countless lessons, but we will offer two:

  • 1) The necessity of Silence and Prayer. The Holy Family spent time every day in silence and prayer where they had a deep encounter with God. May we cherish silence that leads us to deep, mystical prayer and union with God.
  • 2) The Law of Work. Mary worked hard in the home of Nazareth, thereby loving God and her family. Saint Joseph and Jesus worked long and arduous hours at the Carpenter shop, thereby providing for the sustenance of the family. May we learn the importance of hard work in our daily lives, following in the footsteps of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

5. January 1st—Mary, Mother of God

What an excellent way to start off the New Year by celebrating the greatest of all of the titles for Mary—Mary, the Mother of God. Indeed, Mary is the Mother of God, but she is also the Mother of the Church, and our Heavenly Mother. May we entrust our lives totally and unreservedly to her maternal care and protection.

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

6. January 6th—The Epiphany: The Star and the Wise-Men

Another key Feast in the context of the Christmas Season is that of the Epiphany, meaning “The manifestation of Jesus to the whole world.” The Wise Men followed the star that led to Jesus. I once saw a catchy and appealing bumper sticker with these words: “Wise men still find Jesus in the arms of Mary.” Mary and Jesus are inseparable. At Cana, Mary’s last recorded words were: “Do whatever He tells you!”  This is the best advice in the world; take it as your New Year’s motto and action-item! The Wise Men brought three gifts; let us give the symbolic and practical meaning and interpretation of these gifts for us.

7. January 12th—The Baptism of Our Lord

Every year the Christmas Season concludes with the Baptism of Our Lord. Jesus’ Baptism should be a time in which we examine our own life to see if we are truly living out our own baptismal commitment. This entails our renouncing Satan and all that is within us and outside us that leads us on the pathway of sin. In other words, the Sacrament of Baptism challenges us all to pursue a life holiness, to desire to become a great saint. As Jesus challenges and commands unequivocally with these words: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt 5:48)

Consider our transformation at our Baptism: Child of God, Intimate Friend of the Holy Spirit, recipient of the three theological virtues, the moral virtues, and the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit—all of these Gifts and many more are poured into our soul in the very moment of our Baptism. From then on it is incumbent upon us, with the help of our parents and godparents, to live out the sublime Gift of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism!

Three Gifts We Can Give

Gold: Symbolic of the Royalty of Jesus, Our King

May Christ the King reign in our families, our Church, and our personal lives. “Viva Cristo Rey!” 

Our response to the Gold could be the almsgiving that we practice. Almsgiving can be giving money to the poor, abandoned, needy, or homeless. But it can also mean on a more daily and practical basis to be kind, joyful, and willing to serve the members in our own family!

Incense: Symbolic of the Divinity of Jesus

As the white, aromatic smoke of the Incense ascends on high in the Solemn Masses, so also do the fervent prayers of the saints ascend on high. It is only by striving to become saints, imbued with a fervent and dynamic prayer life, that conversions become a reality! Our fervent, white incense of prayer also serves as a most efficacious means to alleviate the souls in Purgatory and give them access to Heaven!

Myrrh: Symbolic of the Humanity of Jesus Destined to Suffer and Die on Calvary

Myrrh would be the ointment that was applied to the Body of Jesus after He suffered, died, and was taken off the cross and wrapped in the linen. Saint Ignatius of Loyola points out the fact that Jesus was born for us in Bethlehem with the purpose of dying for us on Calvary so that we might have life and life in abundance. How true: the death of Jesus brought life to the world and that includes to you and to me!

How can we apply this last of the three gifts of the Magi to our lives—the gift of Myrrh? Quite simply this: a ready willingness on our part to offer ourselves in sacrifice to the Lord for the salvation of souls. At least to a limited degree, we are called to offer our own small but fervent and constant sacrifices to Jesus for the salvation of so many souls who are slaves to their passions, oblivious of God’s love. Small sacrifices offered with great love open the treasure-house of God’s graces and the gates of Heaven to poor sinners!

In conclusion, we hope and pray that all will cultivate an authentic attitude of gratitude and humbly recognize and receive the abundant Gifts that our loving Heavenly Father has showered upon us in the Gift of Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph, as well as the countless blessings that continue to rain down upon us in a torrent through the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church! 

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

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Father Ed Broom is an Oblate of the Virgin Mary and the author of Total Consecration Through the Mysteries of the Rosary and From Humdrum to Holy. He blogs regularly at Fr. Broom's Blog.

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