“Mark My Footsteps”
Dr Christine E. Wood, Director of the Office of Evangelisation & Catechesis
Chances are, you’ve been hearing that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, with kids jingle belling and everyone telling you to be of good cheer. You may have heard of a song high above the trees, ringing through the sky, or a star with a tail as big as a kite, asked if you recall the most famous reindeer of all, or told of dreams where tree tops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow (well, perhaps not!).
These lovely (if not hemisphere-challenged) sentiments evoke happy feelings for many. But Christmas is meant to change us far more deeply. It’s meant to lead us to a profound introspection, to hear the gentle voice of the Lord Jesus, calling us to draw near to him. Perhaps, like the wise men, we could bring him treasures. But in our littleness, what can we really bring the Lord of Life, other than our open hands and hearts, ready to be filled with his love?
Nobody who approaches Christ leaves unchanged. If we enter into the divine mystery of Christmas we will be transformed. Our hearts will be softened, our burdens lightened, our souls renewed. We will seek to share what we have received with others, particularly those less fortunate than ourselves. This is why Boxing Day, which is the Feast of St Stephen, is traditionally the day to give alms to the poor. It’s meant to throw a spanner in our greed and inclination to hoard the goods of Christmas for ourselves.
The popular English Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas”, is reminiscent of this practice. It speaks of the Bohemian King Wenceslas who bravely set out to give alms to the poor on St Stephen’s Day (26 December). Along the way he encouraged his attendant (or page) to follow his footsteps lest he perish in the bitter cold. The carol praises Wenceslas for bearing testimony to the Christian tradition of almsgiving immediately after Christmas, sharing the blessings he has received from Christ with those less fortunate.
St Wenceslas was a 10th century Christian martyr. The carol alludes to this as it encourages us to follow the spiritual path that the good saints trod – “mark my footsteps”, the king says – in order to attain salvation, even if this requires the martyrdom he and St Stephen endured. It is through serving Christ in the poor that we will attain the blessing of eternal life.
So this Christmas, let’s be transformed by the mystery revealed in the baby Jesus, his blessed mother Mary, and St Joseph. After humbly approaching the divine Christ-child, let’s then seek him in those less fortunate than ourselves. Wishing you a blessed Christmas!