The Church Teaches us to Linger at Christmas
Christmas Is Not Over
For many people, Christmas ended on December 25th. Decorations came down, music changed, and attention shifted quickly to the new year. The Church, however, teaches us something very different. Christmas is not a single day but a season. It is a time meant to be lived slowly so that the mystery of the Incarnation can take root in our lives.
God did not rush His coming into the world. He entered quietly, humbly, and patiently. The Church mirrors that wisdom by asking us to remain with the mystery rather than move on too quickly. When we rush past Christmas, we risk treating the birth of Christ as a moment of sentiment rather than the decisive event it truly is. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That truth deserves time, attention, and reverence.
The Christmas season does not end on December 25th. It continues through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. That feast is celebrated on the Sunday following the sixth of January, and Christmas formally ends the following day on Monday. Only then does the Church ask us to move fully into Ordinary Time. The calendar is intentional. The Church is teaching us to stay with the mystery long enough for it to shape us.
What the Church Is Teaching Us
The liturgical calendar is not accidental. It is a teacher. By extending the celebration of Christmas, the Church is forming us to receive Christ more deeply. These days after the feast invite us to ponder what it means that God chose to come to us as a child and to place Himself into human hands.
Christmas is not meant to remain in the manger. The Child we adore is the same Lord who will call us to follow Him in daily life. The season helps us move from wonder to responsibility. God has entrusted Himself to us. That gift is not meant to be admired briefly and then set aside. It is meant to shape how we live, pray, and surrender.
How to Live This Season Well
There are simple, concrete ways to live the Christmas season faithfully. Attend Mass during the week if you are able. Pray with the readings at home. Keep sacred images and decorations in place a little longer. Allow silence into your days. Resist the urge to rush forward before you have truly received what God has given. Most importantly, ask yourself what the Lord is inviting you to carry forward from this season. Where is He asking for greater trust, deeper surrender, or more faithful obedience. Grace is never given without purpose. Christmas leaves us changed if we allow it to.
As we move toward Ordinary Time, let us not leave Christmas behind too quickly. The Child who came for us remains with us. May we receive Him with gratitude and live the mystery we have celebrated.