Christmas Cloud of Witnesses

I write this on St. Thomas the Apostle Day, December 21. It is interesting that the principal feast, The Feast of our Lord’s Nativity, December 25, falls within a week that includes three major feast days. Christmas Day, of course, takes up nearly all the oxygen available for the holy day celebration. Still, our calendars mark the feasts of two Apostles, and the Deacon and First Martyr. If the involved events and tasks of Christmas did not utterly dominate us, we would observe in some way St Thomas the Apostle, Dec. 21; St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, Dec. 26; and St. John the Apostle, Dec. 27. Oh wait, I am forgetting a fourth holy day: Holy Innocents, Dec. 28.

Pretend we all live in a quiet, small village, and our lives are not full of complex demands competing for our attention. Imagine we are all within walking distance of the church and we favor the idea of worshiping together on major feasts. Let’s say that, early morning, or Noon, or perhaps early evening, we gather for Communion on holy days. Pretend further that the fittingly grand celebration of Christmas did not take up most of our steam. In that case, we might see each other at church on those four important days. Alas, that is a lot of pretending.

I think too of how the church worship space never sets itself in readiness; it is always the loving work of the altar guild, other volunteers, and staff members who make that happen. From Greek, the word “Liturgy” means “the work of the people”, and it certainly is that. So, I think that very few parish families can pull off observing these Holy Days with the Holy Eucharist.

I still think we are strengthened when we keep the feasts, even very modestly. Just to notice the day on our church calendar is something. To research and read a bit online, such as at satucket.com/lectionary/December21.html – this provides a look at all the days of December. It allows you an awareness of the observances of the church. We can plug in the Bible lessons and the prayer of a feast day when reading Morning and Evening Prayer, and this is a good way to keep the holy day.

We should hold another thing in mind: every saint that has a day is holy only by virtue of Christ’s grace and light. Thomas, Stephen, John, and the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem are not diminished by the overwhelming attention given to Christmas, close as it is to their respective days. Their focus is on Jesus, just as ours must always be. Every saint’s day is about Jesus Christ because the Savior, through the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit brings holiness—makes the saint a saint. Every icon of a saint is a window for the one gazing upon it; to look there is to see through, into heaven, and to glimpse the light of Christ. The saints reflect Christ’s light.

Happy St. Thomas Day! I hope you can hear the voice of Thomas, (John 20:28) as he turns to see the risen Christ in front of him. I hope you turn as well and see Jesus, as you hear Thomas model for you pure transfixed worship: “My Lord and my God!”

Let us pray:

Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in your Son's resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.