The Octave Day of Christmas

All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady. (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Wishing all of you a very happy new year of 2024! This day, being the Eighth Day of Christmas, the Octave Day of the Nativity, has always been a holy day in the Christian Calendar. However, the name and focus of this day has changed over the centuries.

For much of the Christian epoch, this day was celebrated as the Circumcision of the Lord. Indeed, in the Eastern Churches and in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, it is still thus. In Saint Luke’s Gospel, it says:

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

(Luke 2:21)

Prior to the seventh century or so, this Octave Day was celebrated as a feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After the calendar reforms of 1970, this was restored.

And so I can wish you a most blessed Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Mother of God, celebrated today on the Octave Day of Christmas.

Let us celebrate the motherhood of the Virgin Mary,
and let us worship Christ the Lord, her Son.

(Invitatory antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Mother of God [Ordinary Form])

Most people who are Christians but not Catholics probably wonder why we have feasts celebrating the Virgin and the saints. It really is simple. These people are holy and worthy of emulation, so we celebrate their life and their acceptance of God’s grace.

If the United States of America can have a day set aside to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Church can certainly set aside a day to celebrate Saint Thomas Becket, for instance.

Also, since the Communion of Saints transcends mere time, these celebrations are in a sense like celebrating with our friends or family. Birthday parties and such are times for family and friends to gather, and this is no different. His feast is a pretty good time to renew your acquaintance with ol’ Thomas Becket.

And then there’s Mary. Above the rest of the saints, Mary stands out and above. No other human being has been hailed by an angel of God as being “full of Grace” (Luke 1:28).

No other human being said “yes” to God in the radical way that Mary did.

No other human being gave birth to the Saviour of us all, God-with-us, Christ Jesus, who Himself gave Mary to us as our own Mother (John 19:26-27).

We are all called to be saints. We are all called to give an unhesitating “yes” to God, our creator.

Do we always succeed? Of course not. But God is tireless and patient. You can run, but whenever you stop, God is already right there, waiting for you.

Pray for me, brethren, in this beautiful New Year of 2021, for I shall surely pray for you.

You might start by asking our Mother to pray for us, too.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.