When I was little it meant a tree with presents around. It still does but now it means so much more. It's the celebration for the birth of our savior from a scared but faithful young Jewish girl named Mary. That girl has become a source of prayer and inspiration now as she intercedes my prayers to her son, Jesus.
"Christmas refers to Christ’s Mass. It is the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord. However, there are those who like to point out that “Merry Christmas” is actually stating Merry Christ’s death. This is an isolation of the part of the Mass where we celebrate a portion of the Eucharist. In following the words of Jesus we partake in the Eucharist, at every Mass, in memory of Him (John 6, Luke 22).
The Mass doesn’t just include remembering the sacrifice of Christ, it includes His Glorious Resurrection. In the Penitential Rite we ask God to bring us to everlasting life. The Nicene Creed, which is our profession of faith, and our Eucharistic prayers look forward to and proclaim His Second Coming. Finally, we are dismissed with the words of “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” Do these sounds like words of death? These are words of life!
The term Mass is from the Latin missa meaning to dismiss or dismissal. In following the celebration established by Jesus at the Last Supper, we enter into the mystery of our salvation. The sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of Christ is renewed and accomplished. The Mass renews the paschal sacrifice because we are told to do so by Christ. How appropriate is the dismissal or Mass? It is quite appropriate because we are sent on a mission of service to God. This is how the liturgy is concluded. It is a continuance of spreading the Good News and God’s offering of eternal life."
Now you get a better idea of what I've learned over my lifetime and especially the last ten years or so. We've enjoyed a spiritual advent of Christ at church these past weeks. I hope you have, too.
A very merry Mass of Christ to you and your friends and family today and forever.
Ed Winkle
Joyeux Noël, Ed and LuAnn!
ReplyDeleteThe French word for Christmas comes from the Latin "natal", same root as Nativity. Other South European languages are also based on the same root, like Nadal or Navidad.
It is such a short word in French that it is frequently used as a first name for people born around December 25, on its own: Noël or Noëlle, or in combination with another name, such as my brother Jean-Noël. But I am not jealous, I have my own Michaelmas! ;)
It is a bit surprising that the original Saxon-based word Yule is not used anymore, but I guess people wanted to differentiate from the pagan winter solstice celebration, a bit like it later became "Holy Nights" in German (Weihnachten). The French Santa Claus is "le Père Noël", although Northern and Eastern France still celebrate the original "Saint Nicolas" on December 6.
Our Noel is named Corbin and we had a great time with him, his sister Claire and all of the little cousins last night!
ReplyDeleteJoyeux Noel, Chimel!
Ed