Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr (and deacon)

Merry Christmas! I trust that everyone is having a good one. Several more days to go until we’ve run through all twelve, so probably wise to pace yourself. For example, I don’t usually open the monastery fruitcake until a few days after the 25th. True, this is because the house is still stacked with other desserts; I don’t want the fruitcake to get lost in the shuffle.

Christmas Mass was lovely and the first Spanish liturgy at which I’ve assisted. I’ll get plenty more opportunities to assist (and preach) in Spanish soon enough. As it is, I’m preaching on Sunday for the Solemnity of the Holy Family. Will be working on that a bit later. Today was mostly about cleanup, a few errands out and about, and the construction of another terrarium. I made one last year and it’s survived pretty well since then, so when we were about to throw out a large glass drink dispenser earlier this summer, I set it aside for just this purpose. Now it hosts a small fern, false aralia, and a bit of pixie ivy. Now when the dreariness of JanuFeb hits with its full force, I can look over at my tiny bit of rain forest and daydream until spring. In the meanwhile, we’ve come to really savor the latter days of the Octave. Most of us are still on vacation and things are quiet. Right about the time the walls start moving inward, it will be time to get back to work and it might even feel like a bit of relief. Or at least for a few days anyway.

The Liturgy of the Hours was a sobering change-up in the midst of all the Christmas rejoicing. One moment you’re tooling along with “Rejoice! Rejoice!” and then you’re reading the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the first deacons and the first to die for Christ. Our own turns will come, probably in thousands of small ways rather than one big one. Tomorrow, which is also my birthday, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. I get to do my first home blessing, too. Solidly festive, if you ask me.

Peace and God Bless.