8 Beautiful Visual Commentaries on the Feast of the Holy Name: Christmas Daybook, 8
My Christmas daybook for these 12 days of celebrating. We'll be spending Christmastide with some favorite short films and video clips. Join me, won't you?
Watch: I’ve been slow to discover the treasure trove of resources at The Bible Project. Here are 8 brief but substantive videos exploring the scripture and themes of today’s lectionary passages. Come, let us adore Jesus!
The Feast of the Holy Name
From Anglican Compass - January 1: The Holy Name (New Year's Day) is the day that Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day according to the custom of the Jews (Luke 2). This was when the child was given a name. The name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua” which means “the Lord will save.” The angel that appeared to both Mary and Joseph told them to “call his name Jesus” for he will “save his people from their sins.”
The name of God is an important and holy aspect of the Hebrew faith. God’s name was revealed to Moses as the “I AM” and “Yahweh.” To this day, Jews do not pronounce or write the name of God, to set it apart. Because of the power of God to save in Jesus Christ, we celebrate his name on this day.
Read: Exodus 34:1-9; Psalm 8; Romans 1:1-7; Luke 2:15-21
Pray: Book of Common Prayer (2019), Collect for The Circumcision and Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Almighty God, your blessed Son fulfilled the covenant of circumcision for our sake, and was given the Name that is above every name: Give us grace faithfully to bear his Name, and to worship him with pure hearts according to the New Covenant; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Do: Take a first-day of 2023 hike!
Would you like to connect more with nature in this new year? Here are a couple of resources you might find helpful:
First Day Hikes from National Association of State Park Directors
Free Nature Connection Mini-Course at The Nature Journaler
Playlists for Christmas
Christmas Eve (for my Momma): The quirky, sometimes kitschy, a little bit emo, and often melancholy playlist I made when we lived so far away from my parents. Now we live far away from other people we love, but the title of the playlist will remain in honor of those first homesick years.
Ring the Bells: A bit more traditional playlist (but still highlighting the lesser-known music of the season).
All 12 Days: A playlist for a festive and full Christmastide:
*Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 1).