The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ
On January 1, the 8th day of Christmas, which happens to fall on a Sunday this year, we celebrate The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. What a strange event to commemorate! It seems rather odd and unmentionable, not polite talk for church folks. What relevance might this ancient Jewish ritual have for us today?
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:15-21)
I might suggest two aspects to ponder together on this day –
Jesus is human,
and Jesus is Jewish.
Nothing quite speaks as loudly about the humanity of Jesus as talking about the details of his circumcision. It is a bodily action. It is undeniably physical, and we like to highlight the spiritual when we talk about Jesus. Yet, his humanity is on display throughout the gospel story. Christmas concerns embodiment; it's about a baby born to a young woman.
Circumcision is also a Jewish ritual in the tradition of Abraham. Jesus's identity as a Jew is emphasized on this occasion. We in the Christian tradition need regular reminders that Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, and died a faithful Jew. He participated in Jewish activities such as attending the synagogue. And on the eighth day of his life, he was circumcised as a child of Abraham.
A Benediction (Or Miscellaneous Thoughts)
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