of the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, we may complete that by including the arrival of the Magi from the east as we observe the Feast of the Epiphany today.
Would any of us be likely to include the account of Jesus changing water into wine at
the wedding in Cana? Yet to many Orthodox Christians of the East, the Wedding at Cana is the final act in the “Christmas Story”
which begins with the Nativity, includes the Magi, the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt, the Return to Nazareth, the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, and the Lord’s Baptism by John in the Jordan. Indeed, Christmas for traditional Christians of the west and east is not restricted to the story of the birth of Jesus but rather only begins there and includes all of the “early manifestations” that this Jesus born at Bethlehem and raised at Nazareth is truly the Messiah of God. So while we in the west stop at his baptism and our first cousins in the catholic tradition in the east continue with the memorable first miracle the Christmas story truly encompasses the first 30 and largely hidden years in the life of Jesus.
That is why Christmas is a season that only just begins with the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord but continues through Monday, January 9th this year when it concludes with the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism.
As all early indications are that this Jesus truly is the word made flesh who is the divine light of the world then all the more reason we have kept our lights lit until the true Christmas Season comes to its rightful conclusion.As for our creches, our true catholic tradition as attested to by the custom at Vatican City is to keep these up for 40 days after
the Nativity which brings us to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd.
Let us keep Christ in Christmas by keeping Christmas in accord with the Church’s calendar rather than the civil or the commercial one!
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