It's one of the most depressing days of the year in modern America... the day after Christmas. Two months of preparation and anticipation have drawn to a close. Presents have been unwrapped. The food has been eaten. Sure, we have New Years to look forward to, but after that the winter stretches relentlessly before us with no end of COVID in sight. Perhaps the medieval people got it right, making Christmas Day the beginning of their 12 days of Christmas celebration.
That first Christmas, the day after Jesus' birth was filled with wonder and joy. For the shepherds the memory of angelic visitors and a tiny Baby were still fresh, filling them with wonder. For Joseph and Mary, there was much to ponder, not to mention the adjustment that comes with a newborn--and the need for better sleeping arrangements than a stable. And for God the Father, looking down on His infant Son, it was the beginning of the end to salvation's plan which would culminate 33 years later on a cross, and then an empty tomb.
Today is a new day for us as well. It's a day of worship, a day to ponder, a day to give thanks that Jesus is born and that He walks with us. For us, today is not an end but a glorious beginning. And we are invited, like Mary, to treasure these things in our hearts and, like the shepherds, to return to our everyday lives praising God because we have been transformed forever by the wonder of His presence.
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