Current Liturgical Season: Christmastide
The twelve day Feast of the Nativity (Christmastide) is a joyful celebration of the mystery of God taking on human flesh and dwelling among us in the person of Jesus. Christmas is the celebration of God’s full identification with us. It is particularly striking that God embraced the full vulnerability and dependence of being born as an infant. This is but one more demonstration of the depths of God’s love for us. This full identification with us is a central part of God’s salvation work. As St. Gregory of Nazianzus famously said, “What God has not assumed (taken on), He has not healed.” Our salvation is vitally connected to the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
The season of Christmas begins on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) and ends on Epiphany (Jan. 6). Throughout this festival we are called to focus our attention on the mystery of the incarnation - that the King of kings became a baby, being born into abject poverty having not even a bed in which to lay. The liturgical color is white or gold, which symbolizes the joy we have in the salvation he brings.