A Thought on Sunday

The Twelve Days of Christmas

From the desk of Fr. Ignatius Waters CP

Sunday January 1st 2012

Why is this a Christmas carol?  What do the 12 days of Christmas have to do with Christmas?  Are they Christmas gifts?  Here is what this song is really all about.

Between l558 and l829, Catholics in England and Ireland were not allowed to practice their faith.  So someone during that time wrote this carol as a Christmas song for Catholic children.  The song has hidden meanings.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift to us.  The two turtle doves were the books of the Old and New Testaments in the Bible.  The three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.  The four calling birds were the four gospels from the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The five golden rings recalled the first five books of the Old Testament.  The six geese a laying stood for the six days it took God to create the world.  The seven swans a swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence and Wonder before God.

The eight maids a milking are the eight Beatitudes of Jesus.  The nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
The ten lords a leaping are the Ten Commandments and the eleven pipers piping are the eleven faithful disciples. The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve important points of the Apostles' Creed.

So now you know! Thanks to Helena Costello for sending this in!

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!