Christmas Aint Over Until the Christmas Season is Over

Christmas is not merely a one-day event but a season. And the season continues through the Twelve Days of Christmas, which end on the Feast of the Epiphany—January 6th 

Yesterday was the day of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents 

Holy Innocents

and today is the Presentation of the Lord, for example

The Presentation of the Lord

And the Word goes on and on and on 

The older Church calendar, the Christmas season goes all the way through February 2nd, the Feast of Candlemas. Also called the Purification of Our Lady, or the Presentation of Our Lord, this feast commemorates the day Our Lady went to the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic Law forty days after Our Lord’s birth. 

Christmas is a season, not just a day. The Church invites us to celebrate this most glorious mystery of our redemption with weeks of rejoicing. Another happy effect of this arrangement is that we are able to observe Advent with a certain reserve, penitence, and anticipation—to use it as a true spiritual preparation for Christmas joy and festivities." 

Even though the world forgets Christmas on December 26th, we are encourage  to keep those decorations up and continue exulting with the angels at the coming of the Savior to earth!

You can keep your whole year focused on Christ and the beautiful seasons of His Church with a 2022 Saints Calendar & 16 Month Planner. Featuring classic art, reminders of feast days and holy days, and fascinating Catholic traditions, this is the perfect accessory for a Catholic desk at home or in the office. Available today at The Catholic Company!

Miracles

 

"See the Virgin is delivered

In a cold and crowded stall

Mirror of the Father's glory

Lies beside her in the straw

He is Mercy's incarnation

Marvel at this miracle!" - Glorious impossible by Bill Gaither Vocal Band

Now, I have experienced over one half dozen miracles. In at least two cases, the outcome was not what I hoped or prayed for, but I'm sure it was for the best.

Why the story about miracles from the Catholic Company caught my eye:

"But how do we know that something is a miracle? How do we know something isn’t a tall tale, or something strange but ultimately explicable by natural means, or the figment of a deluded or stressed imagination? How do we know it’s not demonic?

The Church knows that miracles can often be confused with other things, and that, unfortunately, fallen humans sometimes make up stories for the purposes of fame or attention. She also knows that demons have certain powers that can make certain things appear miraculous.

In view of these facts, the Church has developed a protocol to validate miraculous occurrences. She does not, of course, investigate every single claim, but rather those that have public repercussions, such as the miraculous healings attributed to the saints that, if validated, will advance their cause for canonization. Eucharistic miracles are another form of miracle that often warrants her attention, since they draw venerators and it is important to ensure that the miracle is authentic.

In all these investigations, the Church is careful, thorough, and detached in her approach. She employs doctors, scientists, and competent authorities in order to rule out natural explanations or to understand the phenomenon better. Only when she has completed this stringent process does she validate the miracle.

You can learn more about the facts and fictions surrounding miracles in The Catholic Guide to Miracles: Separating the Authentic from the Counterfeit by Adam Bla

https://www.catholiccompany.com/the-catholic-guide-to.../