1 January
The Naming and Circumcision of Jesus
On January 1st, we celebrate the Circumcision of Christ. Since we
are more squeamish than our ancestors, modern calendars often list
it as the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, but the other emphasis is
the older. Every Jewish boy was circumcised (and formally named) on
the eighth day of his life, and so, one week after Christmas, we
celebrate the occasion when Our Lord first shed His blood for us. It
is a fit close for a week of martyrs, and reminds us that to suffer
for Christ is to suffer with Him.