The Church celebrates the Birth of Jesus for eight days to show the significance of this gift of God to us. We have a tendency to put Christmas behind us the day afterwards. Is it possible that we are missing the graces that God wants us to receive? Mary shows us the attitude we should have during these days. The scripture tells us that, once Jesus was born and the shepherds shared the message of the angels, Mary pondered these things in her heart. Why? It was so much to comprehend immediately. During these eight days we too need to ponder during our prayer time what the birth of Jesus means to us in this time of our lives and how we are to respond. There is much that God wishes to teach and reveal to us. But it will only come when, like Mary, we ponder and reflect on the birth of Jesus. Do this, if possible, in front of the nativity scene.