The shops are storing away Christmas decorations but our heart shall keep them on throughout the year

January 2, 2018

Memorial of St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen

Christmas has come and gone and I've noticed that many shops have already put away their Christmas decorations. Some have already brought out their Valentine's day decorations, to make sure not to lose an opportunity to earn an extra buck. However in the Church, even though the octave of Christmas was concluded yesterday, we continue to celebrate the Christmas season for a few more weeks. How can we not rejoice at length in the coming of God into the World?

The Church today presents us with a reading that we have already reflected upon during advent. The Jews go up to John and ask him who he is, whether it is him who is the promised one. In his answer, John witnesses for Christ, something that he will continue to do throughout his life, and which in fact earns him his martyrdom.

He knew well who he was and what his mission in life was. He was not pretending to be someone whom he was not, and neither did he hide who he actually was. He spoke the truth and witnessed to the truth. In doing so he helped the people prepare the way for the Lord.

Jesus has come. He is among us already, as John himself says. However he also says that we do not recognise him. It is easy to recognise Jesus in the crib and to set up the crib with a lot of care. However we very easily pack our baby Jesus in its plastic wrapping and store it away for next year. We need to sharpen our senses to be able to recognise Jesus even when it is hard to recognise him.

In his first letter which we have listened to in the first reading, John tells us how this can be done. If we have received the word and the anointing (of Baptism and Confirmation) when we live in Christ and we cannot do otherwise then recognise him. Interestingly he says, that if we really are anointed, we have received Christ and we do not need anyone to teach us. However here is the problem. Receiving the word and the anointing is not something passive but active. To receive is also to accept and to allow it to take root in our hearts.

This is something that we constantly need to renew within us. Waiting with expectation, receiving and accepting, attending carefully to recognise Christ - these were all recurrent themes in the Advent that we have just journeyed together. They have prepared us for Christmas. Now we have to continue to practice them so that they may become second nature. In so doing, Christmas does not remain something we celebrate once a year but a reality that we live in our hearts and in our communities every day.