The Twelve Days of Christmas

I recently was introduced to a prayer website called Positive Christianity and I got the following in my Daily Inspiration from them. I didn't check the history of what is told, but the list of symbols is worth the entire reading. I hope this blesses you, like it did me! - Cyber Pastor

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The 12 days of Christmas begins today.

You're all familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" I think. To most it's a delightful nonsense rhyme set to music.But it had a quite serious purpose when it was written.

It is a good deal more than just a repetitious melody with pretty phrases and a list of strange gifts.

Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829, when Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England, were prohibited from ANY practice of their faith by law - private OR public. It was a crime to BE a Catholic.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the"catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith- a memory aid, when to be caught with anything in *writing* indicating adherence to the Catholic faith could not only get you imprisoned, it could get you hanged, or shortened by a head - or hanged, drawn and quartered, a rather peculiar and ghastly punishment.

The songs gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The"true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem:"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."

The other symbols mean the following:

2. Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments

3. French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4. Calling Birds = The Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5. Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the"Pentateuch", which gives the belief of fall from grace.

6. Geese A-laying = The six days of creation

7. Swans A-swimming = The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8. Maids A-milking = The eight beatitudes

9. Ladies Dancing = The nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10. Lords A-leaping = The Ten Commandments

11. Pipers Piping = The eleven faithful apostles

12. Drummers Drumming = The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

No matter what our religion is, let us take time, each of the 12 days of Christmas, to give thanks to God for the greatness of our faith and our freedom for ability to each believe in our own way.

Religion must not divide and separate. We must learn from history about the mistakes humans have made in the name of religion through fear in the past. Religion MUST bring differing ideas, and differing people together as one, for it is the only answer to peace in our homes, workplaces,cities, and the world. Separation leads only to fear. To truly celebrate Christmas we follow Jesus Christ by being all-inclusive, loving, and accepting, to people everywhere.