Let Us Not Confine Christmas on December 25! Felicem Nativitatem Christi Semper!

Christmas can be any day, just as the Lord can come to us any time until the eschaton. Why do we confine this laeta dies on December 25?!
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Wherever the Latin Church, namely, the Roman Catholic Church, has influenced, the 25^th day of December has been known as Christmas, the day of Chris’ birth in Bethlehem. So it has been incorporated in the liturgical calendar of the Latin Church and all other churches that branched out of it, including many Protestant churches. The truth is, nobody really knows for sure exactly when Christ was born.  There is no biblical description about the date on Christ’s birth. The only biblical note to suggest when Christ may have been born was found in Luke’s Gospel, indicating that it was during Caesar Augustus’ reign and when Quirinius was Roman governor of Syria (Luke 2:1-2). No pin-pointed day in the Jewish calendar. Not in the manner how the Torah tells the dates of Jewish festivals. In fact, Mark’s Gospel has no mentioning about the birth of Christ at all.

In fact, there was no Christmas celebration until the 4^th century – until the Romanization of the Church, because December 25^th was made into Christmas by the Roman Empire, assigning the birthday of Christ on the feast day of the Roman god of the sun, Sol Invictus, which means “invincible sun”.  Therefore, celebrating Christmas on December 25 reminds us of its pagan background, the Roman celebration of Sol Invictus feast.  Obliviously, the Orthodox Churches do not celebrate Christmas on December 25.

The truth is, nobody really knows for sure when Christ was born – when Christ came to this world in flesh, except that it was when Caesar Augustus ruled the Roman Empire, and everyone in the empire was required to register for the census by an imperial decree (Luke 2:1-3).

So, when really was the real Christmas – real date when Christ was born of Mary the Virgin?

Given that no exact date for this event was given in any canonical book in the Bible, it is better not to be so obsessed about historical date. Rather, we should really focus on the theological, soteriological, and spiritual significance of Christmas, regardless of its exact date in history. Perhaps, nobody knows the exact historical date of real Christmas because the world was not really prepared for it. That is why there no historical record of it. Those who were present at the birth of Christ were the shepherds, who happened to stay awake in keeping the night watch over their sheep, besides Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:8-20).

The birth of Christ – Christmas – had been prophesized at least, 700 years before the birth of Christ, way back in the time of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:10-14, the First Reading for December 20) and Micah (Micah  5:1-4, the First Reading for the 4^th Sunday of Advent, C). Some even argue that the prophecy of the birth of Christ can be traced all the way to Genesis 3:15, and this is based on a soteriological perspective. Nevertheless, nobody but Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, witnessed the birth of Christ. And, no written record was found on this significant event in the salvation history.

Before we even say “Merry Christmas”, we must reflect on this – we do not have exact date on the birth of Christ because the world was asleep when it occurred. The Romans were known as good record keeper. Thus, if the world, which was the Roman Empire at that time, were awake, then, the Bible sure has the exact date of Christmas. And it may not be necessarily December 25.

Spiritually, an important lesson that we should take from this problem is that we are not sure about the birthday of our Savior, the Messiah, the Christ, because we slept over when he was born – when God appeared in the human flesh of Jesus. For this reason, we start Advent liturgical season on the First Sunday of Advent, emphasizing on our need to stay awake and keep our vigilance, characterized with these New Testament Greek words: ἀγρυπνέω(agrupneo) and γρηγορέω(gregoreo).　The former suggests the state of being awake and attentive, while the latter reflects the state of vigilance. In fact, these Greek words are used for our readiness for Christ’s return, Parousia, at the eschaton. This means that Advent is like how we actually prepare ourselves for the Parousia, as Jesus himself has taught us.

To help us be ready for his Parousia, which can be at any moment, though it is often believed to be at the eschaton, Jesus has taught us to be vigilant for the sings is coming and be in the state of grace, so that we do not have to be like foolish maidens in Matthew 25:1-13, be like the wicked coward servant in Matthew 25:14-30, and be like the goats in Matthew 25:31-46. In fact, the way John the Baptist preached to prepare the world become ready for the public theophany of Christ reflects the way Jesus has prepared us for his Parousia. That is why the Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Advent focus on our need to be awake and be vigilant, followed by the Gospel reflections on how John the Baptist prepared the world to stand ready to face Christ in his action for the Second Sunday of Advent and the Third Sunday of Advent.

Certainly, Christmas itself is about how the Old Testament prophecies on the coming of the Messiah through the Davidic royal lineage were fulfilled (i.e. Isaiah7:14–16; 9:1–7; 11:1–16; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:2), as the Logos-Theos became the human flesh of Jesus to dwell among us (John 1:1, 14), and as Mary the Virgin, who is gratia plena (Luke 1:30), was impregnated by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18, 20) and gave birth to the Son of God. However, spiritual and theological implications of  Christmas challenge us to be ready for the adventus of Christ all the time. Therefore, the real Christmas, in a soteriological sense, must be anytime from now to the eschaton. For this reason, we need to go beyond the Latin Church’s calendar in remaining ready to welcome Christ in us.

Christ comes whenever the Father in heaven wills. We need to respond as Mary, who said, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”(Luke 1:38), did, when Christ comes to us, whether he comes in a visible and tangible form or in glory.

The historical Christmas already took place about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, as the invisible God made His first theophany in the human flesh of Jesus in Bethlehem. Then, as instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-29//Mark 14:23-25//Luke 22:14-20), taught in his Bread of Life discourse (John 6:25-58), and promised before his Ascension (Matthew 28:20), Christmas, as the adventus of Christ, can be experienced through the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist at Mass until the Parousia at the eschaton. Finally, the last Christmas – the Parousia at the eschaton – will take place in glory (Revelation 19:11-21). Thus, Christmas is a strain of events, starting with God’s first theophany in infant Jesus placed on manger, about 2,000 years ago, in fulfilling the Old Testament Messianic prophesies, continuing throughout the Church history during the Eucharistic celebration at Mass, and will consummate with the Parousia at the eschaton.

If we are looking for the true Christmas? Then, look for the presence of Christ, even while he is still hidden. As we let ourselves be filled with the Holy Spirit, we sure can cultivate the spiritual vision like Elizabeth, who recognized, experienced and rejoiced over the real presence of Christ, while he was still hidden inside the womb of Mary, who visited her, as Fr. Paul Waldorf of St. Gregory the Great parish in Chicago, implicated in his Advent homily on Luke 1:39-45. We can certain  rejoice over our experience of Christmas any time we receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and engage in the Eucharistic adoration, until the Parousia. 

Let us not confine true Christmas on December 25, as the Romans did back in the 4^th century.  Christ comes to us as we come to receive and adore the Holy Eucharist, thanks to the Holy Spirit, whom Christ called another Parakletos (John 14:16), until the Parousia. To the faithful who joyfully receive Christ in the Eucharist, Christ is born in them anew so that they can be sent on their apostolic mission, with the sending command of "Ite Missa est!", echoing Jesus' commissioning words, "Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes : baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti!" (Matthew 28:19). As we remain to be apostolic, we are rejoicing over Christmas everyday and reaching out to share Evengelii Gaudium, as in Pope Francis' 2013 Apostolic Exhortation.

Merry Christmas, always! Feliciem Nativitatem Christi Semper!