They are the familiar sights of the season — various decorative large plastic Santa Claus and candy cane things for sale in the stores (and I guess the Grinch is popular again too); that cable TV channel playing Christmas movies that seem to me like all the same movie, just told 30 different ways; and finding the best deals and sales for holiday gift-giving.
That sounds like mid-December, right? Nah, it was a few weeks ago.
It wasn’t even all that long ago that the faithful were trying to emphasize to anyone who would ignore us that Advent is too early to go all-in celebrating Christmas.
There was sort of an “at least wait until after Thanksgiving” truce, but apparently, that isn’t a thing anymore.
Now, the Halloween decorations aren’t even put away before it’s the alleged and unofficial Christmas season according to whatever retail or media entity decides so.
If you’re thinking about Christmas, other than the anticipation of the anticipation of celebrating Christ’s Incarnation — please stop that.
‘An appointed time for everything’
Mr. Presley once sang “If every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be.”
Surely he was singing about Our Lord and Savior coming to Earth and becoming fully human to serve as an example for all of us how we should live.
Just to give me something to write about, let’s say the same man who once sang about catching and cleaning crawfish was emoting about “modern” Christmas, the one where people stress out about gift giving and receiving and how much egg nog to have in the fridge lest Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sherman come over unexpectedly.
We (OK, I — who am I to speak for you?) don’t want that Christmas every day. Wonderful world? No no no.
I don’t want to live on a planet where we forget or don’t acknowledge “The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” (Luke 2:10-14, NABRE, and also Linus, using a different translation in A Charlie Brown Christmas).
If we are going to observe the birth of Christ every day and being given the best gift of all, then by all means, let’s embrace that “wonderful world,” but I don’t think we’re quite there yet.
Knowing full well our imperfections and faults, perhaps only one time of the year is all we can handle when it comes to celebrating the second-most awesome thing God did for us and gave to us (the Passion and Easter have to come in first).
God only gave us one day a week to Sabbath. During the rest of the week, we must work, know, love, serve, and everything else that we are called to.
We were given December 25 to celebrate Christmas (and the season following it and the vigil before it).
The rest of the year, we must work, know, love, serve, and everything else that we were called to do during the rest of the year to get ourselves and everyone else to Heaven.
There is a reason the Christmas (and Advent-related) hymns are only sung during a certain time of the year. There is a reason why certain readings are only said during a certain time of the year.
Christmas time is for Christmas.
That’s why every day can’t be like Christmas. There is so much more to do during the rest of the year.
What to do in the meantime
For those who are just bursting with Christmas spirit and can’t wait to duet with Mariah Carey via the audio speaker of your choice, be a St. John the Baptist.
You don’t want to go as far as the locusts and wild honey (although I wouldn’t be shocked if someone makes that a holiday delicacy “just because”), but be an example and spread the word around you to “repent, and believe in the Gospel” because the “Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15, NABRE).
Jesus’ second cousin wasn’t concerned with menus, gifts, or questionable music — he was concerned with saving souls.
Before you put up those lights (or at least before you turn them on — I can understand putting them up during decent temperatures), ask yourself, “What is the rush?”
Are you expanding the season and “tidings of great joy” or are you getting a jump on things to get them out of the way?
Christmas will come. God-willing, it comes every year.
Don’t party yet. Don’t make cookies yet. Don’t get the ornaments out yet. Repent. Believe in the Gospel.
Am I telling you to go to Confession instead of going toy shopping?
You said it. I didn’t.
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.