Christmas is not over! The Church in its wisdom has recognized that one day is insufficient to celebrate the Incarnation of God’s love in the world. We are provided with a whole season, short though it may be, to rejoice and delight in “the goodness of the Lord.” Unfortunately, the twelve days of Christmas set aside for this purpose have been overcome by our culture: the after-Christmas sales, the returning and exchanging of unwanted, unneeded, inappropriate Christmas gifts, the endless sporting events, preparations for the secular New Year celebrations, taking down and putting away our Christmas decorations for another year, and perhaps even writing thank-you notes. Does this sound like the way you spend the Christmas season?

I have known one or two folks over the years who take time during the twelve days of Christmas to sit in peace and quiet to write their Christmas cards. What a good model they are! Every year at this time, I think that is such a good practice that I’ll try it next year as a way to celebrate “the goodness of the Lord.” Sad to say, my memory is always trumped by habit, and the cards go out in Advent. Maybe next year.

The apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians announces the goodness of the Lord “who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing . . . and chose us in Christ . . . to be holy and blameless before him in love.” Think about that for a minute. Reflect on what that means in your life. The prophet Jeremiah points out that when we recognize the reality of what God has done for us, how we have been ransomed and redeemed “from hands too strong for [us],” from “the world, the flesh and the devil” as others put it, we “shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord.” Radiant, full of Light, shining out into the darkness of the world—may that be our stance this Christmas season.