Welcome, adventurers! Merry Christmas!
This issue has a new public episode, as well as a new episode of the private podcast, The Scripture Sessions, and some news about my apostolate’s new direction. I’m also bringing you a short article about Christmas, and why, though it was traditionally a minor holiday in the Church, it’s an important event in Christian history for us to reflect on it year-round. I follow it up with some thoughts from St. Augustine
Fairly big news for me. I’m using YouTube more aggressively as a sort of “primary platform” going forward. That means podcasts will be video, not just audio. I’ll also do at least one live stream every week, as well as produce special videos, not just segment clips every week. Come be a part of what I’m doing on YouTube. It’ll be great, I’m so excited about it!!
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Please do subscribe to my YouTube channel because it helps to push my content.
As I focus on the things that are working well for my apostolate, and focusing less on platforms that aren’t, YouTube will be my primary “partner”, along with TikTok and X as my primary social platforms, and Locals as my community base.
LATEST EPISODE
“What’s Wrong in the Church
This one is heated, so brace yourselves! I discuss three major issues facing the Church today: theology, holiness, and the sacraments. I share personal experiences, including an encounter with a young man at confession, and…
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New iTunes Podcast Feed!
With my entry into the video podcast world, I’ve started an additional podcast feed on iTunes. It’s a video podcast, separate from the audio-only “Catholic Experience” feed
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JUST FOR YOU:
Christmas: A Minor, Major Holiday
Christmas, the significant ‘minor’ Christian Holiday
– The birth of Our Lord was always an important moment to Christians, but “Christmas” wasn’t the major holiday it has become today.
It may surprise you, but Christmas was initially a minor holiday in the early Christian Church. I will outline a few reasons why, and then follow up with a few words from St. Augustine on the importance of the birth of Christ. It will serve as a reminder of what we should focus on during these twelve days of Christmas, and why.
- Historical Context: In the first few centuries of Christianity, Easter was the primary celebration because it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, which is central to Christian theology. Christmas, marking the birth of Jesus, did not have a fixed, canonical date or widespread celebration for a long time, though several early Church Fathers did believe the date of Christ’s brith to be December 25th.
- Lack of Scriptural Guidance: The Bible does not specify the date of Jesus’s birth (December 25th comes from tradition, not scripture), which contributed to Christmas not being universally observed throughout the early Church. The celebration of Christmas on December 25th became more standardized much later, around the 4th century.
- Development Over Time: Christmas began to grow in importance with the Christianization of the Roman Empire. The Council of Tours in 567 AD suggested that the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany should be observed as a sacred period, which helped elevate the holiday’s status.
- Feast of the Nativity: The term “Christmas” (Christ’s Mass) didn’t come into common use until around the 11th century in England. Before that, various local Churches (Dioceses) might have celebrated the birth of Christ in different ways and at different times, or not at all, depending on local traditions and the influence of local clergy.
In summary, while the birth of Jesus was always recognized as significant, Christmas as we know it today with its specific date and celebrations was not a major event in the early Church but grew in prominence over centuries.
But the birth of Jesus should be prevalent in our minds and hearts all year, with or without a holiday to commemorate it. With the secularization of Christmas over time, even Catholics can lose sight of why the nativity of Our Lord is so important. Let’s turn to St. Augustine for that reminder
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The Fathers Know Best!
St. Augustine on the importance of Christmas
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That day, Christmas, is called the birthday of the Lord on which the Wisdom of God manifested himself as a speechless Child and the Word of God wordlessly uttered the sound of a human voice.
His divinity, although hidden, was revealed by heavenly witness to the Magi and was announced to the shepherds by angelic voices. With yearly ceremony, therefore, we celebrate this day which saw the fulfillment of the prophecy: “Truth is sprung out of the earth: and justice hath looked down from heaven” (Ps. 84:12).
Truth, eternally existing in the bosom of the Father, has sprung from the earth so that he might exist also in the bosom of a mother. Truth, holding the world in place, has sprung from the earth so that he might be carried in the hands of a woman. Truth, incorruptibly nourishing the happiness of the angels, has sprung from the earth in order to be fed by human milk. Truth, whom the heavens cannot contain, has sprung from the earth so that he might be placed in a manger.
For whose benefit did such unparalleled greatness come in such lowliness? Certainly for no personal advantage, but definitely for our great good, if only we believe.
Arouse yourself, O man; for you God has become man. “Awake, sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and Christ will enlighten thee” (Eph. 5:14).
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“Arouse yourself, O man; for you God has become man. “Awake, sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and Christ will enlighten thee” (Eph. 5:14)
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Peter’s [Double] Profession of Christ,
The Scripture Sessions #2
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The Second Episode of this Series has Landed
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Episode 2: “Holy Longing”
Exploring Peter’s profound declaration of Christ’s identity in Matthew 16:13-20. Examining the questions Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”, the discussion dives into the multifaceted concept of personal identity and its greater implications on understanding Jesus, and understanding oneself!
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Thanks for being a part of the adventure with your subscription to Notes From the Field. I hope you enjoyed this edition, and I hope you are enjoying the benefits of your membership. God bless and be with you all!
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