twelfth day christmas
Posted on

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming

The twelve drummers stand for the 12 articles of faith in the Apostles’ Creed

We hope you’ve enjoyed the daily reflections for Advent and Christmas. We wish you a blessed and holy New Year. Today, enjoy this version of “The 12 Days of Christmas” from Straight No Chaser.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

eleventh day christmas
Posted on

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eleven pipers piping

The eleven pipers symbolize the eleven Faithful Apostles

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first person born in the United States to be canonized, and today is her memorial. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is one of those saints who has a little bit for everyone. She was a wife and mother, a convert, and (after being widowed) a religious sister. She knew great personal suffering, yet managed to maintain the strength and stamina to raise a family after being widowed, to be a champion of Catholic education and to found the American Sisters of Charity.

She is the patron saint of Catholic schools, and the shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton is in Emmitsburg, MD. Take a virtual tour of the shrine here (it’s beautiful!) Pope Paul VI said this of her:

Elizabeth Ann Seton is a saint. Elizabeth Ann Seton is an American. All of us say this with special joy, and with the intention of honoring the land and the nation from which she sprang forth as the first flower in the calendar of saints. Elizabeth Ann Seton was wholly American! Rejoice for your glorious daughter. Be proud of her. And know how to preserve her fruitful heritage.

This prayer by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is perfectly fitting as we continue to observe the Christmas season:

Lord Jesus, Who was born for us in a stable, lived for us a life of pain and sorrow, and died for us upon a cross; say for us in the hour of death, Father, forgive, and to Your Mother, Behold your child. Say to us, This day you shall be with Me in paradise. Dear Savior, leave us not, forsake us not. We thirst for You, Fountain of Living Water. Our days pass quickly along, soon all will be consummated for us. To Your hands we commend our spirits, now and forever. Amen.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

 

tenth day christmas
Posted on

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, ten lords a-leapin’

The ten lords correspond to the Ten Commandments

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops suggests that today, we learn and reflect upon poverty, as this is Poverty Awareness Month. This interactive website gives us an opportunity to learn more about poverty in the U.S. and in our own communities. Perhaps you and your family can discuss a plan to make a difference in the lives of the poor.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

ninth day christmas
Posted on

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine ladies dancing

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit at symbolized here as the nine dancers

Today, let’s enjoy this beautiful rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” by Hayley Westenra, Russell Watson and Aled Jones from this 2010 BBC production.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

8 day christmas
Posted on

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, eight maids a-milkin’

The eight maids can symbolize the Beatitudes, part of the Sermon on the Mount

In this Christmas season, it is fitting that we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. While Mary was conceived without sin, she also had free will. She could have told God “no” when the Angel Gabriel approached her with God’s plan. Thanks be to God, that was not the case. Her resounding “yes” echoes down through the centuries, so that we – some 2,000 years from the birth of the Infant Jesus – not only rejoice in the birth of our Savior, but follow Mary’s model of perfect obedience to the will of God.

Fr. Steve Grunow, of Word on Fire Ministries, reflects on today’s solemnity:

Today, while much of the world marks the new beginning of the calendar year, the Church commemorates the great solemnity of the Mother of God.

What does this mean?

That the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of God means that the child— conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, carried in her body for nine months, and born into this world— is God. As such, this celebration highlights the pivotal truth of the Church’s Faith- that God has, in Jesus Christ, accepted a human nature, chosen to be born into this world as we have all been born into this world, and has lived a real, human life.

In doing so, God has accepted the full implication of what is means to be human, including the experiences of suffering and death.

Like everything about Mary, today’s feast is really her reflection of her Son. Her motherhood is not about her; it is about Jesus. Her life is not her own; she willingly placed herself at God’s feet, as the “handmaid of the Lord.” She instructs us, “Do whatever He tells you,” just as she instructed the waiters at the wedding feast at Cana. Mary, the Holy Mother of God, always places herself and her will, under obedience, to God. Her most fervent wish is that we do the same.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

7 day christmas
Posted on

On the Seventh Day of Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, seven swans a-swimming

The seven swans are meant to remind us of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

For many of us, today is a day of revelry: we are going to ring in the New Year! Maybe you’re headed to a big bash. Perhaps you prefer a quiet celebration with just a few friends. Or maybe you’re staying home, working on New Year’s resolutions.

As we look forward to bringing in the New Year, it is good to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As Catholics, we receive theses gifts in Baptism and more fully in Confirmation. Like any gift, however, we have to open these and use them. Otherwise, they become like that ugly sweater your Aunt Ethel made you that you hide in the back of the closet or that “thing” that you still haven’t figured out (A vase? An umbrella stand? A planter?) from your mother-in-law that you’re pretty sure she re-gifted.

Wisdom. Understanding. Knowledge. Counsel. Fortitude. Piety. Fear of the Lord. Those are some heavy-duty gifts. If we use them daily, they not only serve us well by making us holier, they stand as a sign of God’s love to all those around us. 

In 2014, Pope Francis began a catechesis on the Gifts of the Spirit. In his opening remarks, he said:

You know that the Holy Spirit constitutes the soul, the life blood of the Church and of every individual Christian: He is the Love of God who makes of our hearts his dwelling place and enters into communion with us. The Holy Spirit abides with us always, he is always within us, in our hearts.

The Spirit himself is “the gift of God” par excellence (cf. Jn 4:10), he is a gift of God, and he in turn communicates various spiritual gifts to those who receive him. The Church identifies seven, a number which symbolically speaks of fullness, completeness; they are those we learn about when we prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation and which we invoke in the ancient prayer called the ‘Sequence of the Holy Spirit.’

“The Love of God who makes of our hearts his dwelling place.” That is a stunning statement. God, who is Love, pours Himself into our hearts. In learning, understanding and using these gifts, we come to know God and ourselves more intimately. That intimate knowledge will lead us to our salvation.

As we begin the New Year, let take time to learn more about these gifts and to pray fervently for a deeper understanding of how God wishes us to use them.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

sixth Christmas
Posted on

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six geese a’laying

The number six is meant to represent the six days of Creation.

Today, we turn our prayerful attention to the Holy Family. It would be easy to dismiss the Holy Family as some sort of fairty-tale creation, a house where no one ever gets angry or raises a voice, where chores are always cheerfully done and there is no such thing as illness or suffering.

That would be wrong.

True, the Holy Family consisted of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, a woman who never sinned and a husband and father who we know to be good and just. But this family knew tremendous hardship. Their son was born in a stable – not exactly what first-time parents would consider a great birth experience. They had to leave all they had behind as they made their way to Egypt in order to keep their Son safe. Imagine, if you will, having to leave NOW with your family and only the clothes on your back for safety. You end up in a foreign land, new parents with no support system. You have no idea how long you’ll have to stay. At some point, the Holy Family lost the man who anchored them in place, regardless of where they were; Joseph died. He was not there to support his foster Son and his wife during the most gut-wrenching time in their lives.

The Holy Family had to make a living, prepare food, clean, get water. They got sick. They prayed together. Deacon Michael Bickerstaff:

The Holy Family is a family that knew hardship yet remained steadfast in God. It is for our families to imitate their model if we are to know joy and peace in the midst of this life; if we are to attain holiness and salvation for ourselves and for our children…

For thirty of His thirty-three years, Jesus lived a humble and obedient life within His family before embarking on His public ministry. In this way, He allowed Himself to be taught experientially by His mother and foster-father, in their words and deeds, in acts both extraordinary and ordinary.

They taught Him the traditional prayers and piety, passed on the cherished customs of His people, showed him the greatest example of love and affection within the family, gave to Him a skill and trade to help support the family.

In His public ministry, Jesus taught with words and examples taken from his early and hidden family life. In the lessons He taught, we discover the great love and courage that St. Joseph must have exhibited for Jesus and His Blessed Mother; the tender love and care that must have been shared between mother and son.

Do not think of the Holy Family as the Never Had Any Problems Family. That family doesn’t exist. The Holy Family, in “acts both extraordinary and ordinary,” are tremendous examples of how a family should be: loving, supportive, prayerful. All families should strive for this holy life. Holy Mary, prayer for us. Good St. Joseph, pray for us. Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, have mercy on us. 

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

fifth day christmas
Posted on

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, five golden rings

The number five is meant to remember the Pentateuch, the first five books of Jewish Scripture and the Christian Bible

Does it still “feel” like Christmas at your house? Do you still have the Nativity set out and Christmas music playing during dinner? It can be hard to keep the Christmas spirit when your neighbors have all tossed their Christmas trees to the curb the day after Christmas and the stores have shelved Valentine’s Day candy and trinkets.

Yet we Catholic keep right on celebrating! No, it’s not that saccharine “let’s keep Christmas in our hearts all year!” type of celebration. It is a time to meditate and reflect upon the fact that God became one of us. God could have chosen any way He wished to save us from our sins – He chose to become an infant, in a family, in a specific time and place. What a wonder!

It is the tradition that, on Christmas Day, the pope gives his Urbi et Orbi (City and World) message. Here is part of St. John Paul II’s message in 2002:

Together with you, O Virgin Mother, may we stop and reflect
at the manger where the Child lies,
to share your own amazement
at the immense “condescension” of God.
Grant us your own eyes, O Mary,
that we may understand the mystery
hidden within the frail limbs of your Son.
Teach us to recognize his face
in the children of every race and culture.
Help us to be credible witnesses
of his message of peace and love,
so that the men and women of our own time,
still torn by conflicts and unspeakable violence,
may also recognize in the Child
cradled in your arms
the one Saviour of the world,
the endless source of that true peace
for which every heart profoundly yearns.

Imagine: gazing on the face of God! Let the eyes of Mary, full of grace, teach us to see Christ hear and now. Our world needs a Savior, and our continued celebration of His birth will strengthen us to bring Him to our family, friends and neighbors. Merry Christmas indeed!

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

fourth day christmas
Posted on

On The Fourth Day of Christmas

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, four calling birds

The four calling birds bring to mind the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

We are truly blessed to have the Four Gospels. They each give us a unique view of Jesus and His Mission.

The first three Gospels are known as the Synoptic Gospels. It appears to some scholars that Matthew and Luke (and perhaps Mark) all used the same source, which they call Q, a first-century document that has unfortunately been lost to time. However, this explains the many similarities in these three Gospels. Matthew and Luke tell us about the birth of Christ. All three tell of Jesus ministry, but they each have a slightly different “take” on Jesus.

For instance, Mark focuses on Christ as the Suffering Servant (foretold by the prophet Isaiah.) Matthew sees Jesus as the foretold Messiah, the King of the Jews. For Matthew, Jesus is the new giver of the Law. Luke’s view of Jesus is that of the Divine Physician, the healer of both physical and spiritual ailments.

The Gospel of John is a completely different book. Stylistically, it is nothing like the other three Gospels, which tend to tell a straightforward story about Jesus. John’s Gospel, by comparison, is almost poetic; the beginning of this Gospel sounds more like a hymn than a story. John’s writing contains eight “I Am” statements from Jesus (such as “I Am the Bread of Life.) The early Jewish audience would recognize this as the name God gave Moses when Moses was in front of the burning bush: God replied to Moses: I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you. (Ex. 3:14)

None of the Gospels are very long. In fact,  you can probably read an entire Gospel in an evening or two. As we continue to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, why not spend some time reading one of the Gospels, and praying that you get to know Jesus more and more.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

third day christmas
Posted on

On the Third Day of Christmas

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three French hens

The three French hens symbolize faith, hope and love.

Today is the feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist. John, along with his brother James, were called “sons of thunder” in the Gospels. Maybe they had thundering voices, or were known to have bold personalities. Jesus saw something in these two, as He invited them to become His Apostles.

Jesus’ call changed John’s life forever. He became the “beloved” disciple, and was with Jesus for the Transfiguration, but also for Jesus’ Passion and Death. The only Apostle to stay with Jesus throughout the crucifixion, Jesus asked John to care for our Blessed Mother following her son’s death. John is also understood to be the author of the Book of Revelation, a book of visions into the heavenly banquet that awaits us.

John certainly had faith. He believed that Jesus was who He said he was: the Messiah. John gave up everything to be with Jesus, to learn from Him, to understand how God was creating a new covenant and that the whole world needed to hear this message. His faith was so unshakeable that he remained with Christ as He died; he refused to hide as the other Apostles did.

John was a man of hope. As he stood at the foot of the cross, comforting Mary, John had to recall all that Jesus had taught the Apostles. He had to have hope that the cross was not the end, no matter how terrible and ugly it was.

John loved. He loved Jesus. He loved Him as his Messiah, but also as his friend. John’s relationship with Jesus should be a model for all of us: we should call Jesus our “beloved” and pray that He does the same for us. John loved Mary, and took her into his home, caring for her as his own mother, modeling for us the relationship we should have with her.

John would likely be a bit shy about attention drawn to himself. John’s life, as an Apostle, as a Christian, was a life that was centered on Christ. His passion was learning from Christ. He loved him and wanted to do the work given to him by Jesus. His love gave him the strength to stand at the foot of the Cross and watch Jesus die a horrific death. John’s will became the same as Christ’s, and he followed the perfect advice of Mary: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Today, as we continue to celebrate the birth of our Lord, let us ask St. John, a man of faith, hope and love, for his prayerful intercession: St. John, friend of Jesus, pray for us.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

second Christmas
Posted on

On the Second Day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two turtle doves

The pair of birds were meant to symbolize the Old and New Testaments.

The Church is good to her children. She wisely instructs us in the way of Faith – not the happiness of a commercial Christmas, but the joy of the Faith – no matter our circumstances.

Yesterday, we celebrated. We sang and laughed. Gifts were exchanged. Families spent the day together, celebrating the Biggest Birthday Of All, where we received the Best Gift. But the Church very wisely reminds us today that this gift is not a toy, not a plaything, but a true gift. Like all true gifts, it requires something from us.

The Church today celebrates St. Stephen, the first martyr for the faith. His story is recounted in Acts 6. Stephen, a man widely recognized for his faith, was a gifted evangelist. Many were moved to conversion after hearing him speak. And some were moved to evil.

Just like Christ, Stephen was brought up on false charges and the Sanhedrin sentenced him to death – the first Christian martyr.

Party yesterday, death today. That, as they say, escalated quickly. The Church wants to remind us, her children, that even in the midst of the celebration of Christmas, we must know that our Faith will cost us.

Perhaps it will cost us in that we live our family life very differently than others. Maybe we will be ridiculed at work for our beliefs. We will be mocked on social media. Even our family members will question or make fun of us. And yes, many of us (as these past months have taught us) will lose our lives for the Faith.

On this second day of Christmas, with the joy of the birth of Christ still very fresh in our minds and hearts, pull out your Bible and read Acts 6. Our wonderful, rich, deep and true Faith comes at a price. St. Stephen, pray for us.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]

first day
Posted on

On The First Day Of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree. 

The “true love” is meant to convey that God – the True Love – came down from Heaven on Christmas Day.

It was an ordinary day. Babies were born, people died. Purchases were made, bartering took place. Families loved and fought, prayers were said. People ate and slept. It was an ordinary day.

Tucked away in a shelter for animals, two young Jewish parents, far from home, were watching their newborn. The baby suckled and sighed. His tiny fists stretched out as he snuggled close to the father. The mother rested. All the things a young family does on an ordinary day.

Except … it wasn’t. It was the most extraordinary day ever. It didn’t look different; there were no fireworks or protests or people yelling. No one proclaimed anything from the rooftops. But still, it was the most extraordinary day ever.

There is really no way to explain it. All we can do is muster up metaphors and even then, nothing comes close. Imagine that tonight, at the dinner table, your spouse says, “I got you a gift,” handing you a box. You open it, and the entire galaxy is contained in that box. That day was sort of like that … but not quite.

No, that most extraordinary day was the day that the God of all creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Moses and the Jews, Almighty and Ever-living God, came down from Heaven. He came not in a blaze of fire or in a thundering cloud.

He came as a baby.

On this most extraordinary day, we know that our God is a God of true love. He has revealed His love, in part, by becoming one of us, truly, in the flesh. And the first witnesses were two young Jewish parents, far from home, in a shelter meant for animals.

This most extraordinary day.

[From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him…including the fact that he was born to die for us.” There are, however, the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” captured in the song of the same title. Some claim the song was meant as catechism of a sort, written and sung for nearly 300 years of British persecution of Catholics. We will be using both the song and the Church’s liturgical calendar to celebrate the Christmas season. We hope you enjoy.]