FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners,
As we enjoy these two weeks of the Christmas season, when the Church gives us an extended period to give thanks to God for the birth of the Child Jesus and to praise Him for the Incarnation, it is good to reflect on Christmas traditions. One of the traditions is to sing Christmas carols. Most of us are familiar with “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. However, perhaps you were not aware that the song contains much symbolism which points to a number of Christian teachings and doctrine. (cf. Fr. Hal Stockert, “The Twelve Days of Christmas, An Underground Catechism”, http://www.cin.org/twelvday.html )
Off and on, from 1558 to 1829, Catholics in England were persecuted. For much of this period, it was against the law to be a Catholic. Many Catholic clergy and lay people were martyred. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written in England as a catechism song. The idea of the hymn was to assist young Catholics in learning about the Catholic faith, in the form of a type of memory aid. It was important that one memorized the truths of the faith rather than carry them around in a book or piece of paper on your person because if you were caught with anything in writing about the Catholic faith, it could be used as evidence against you and could lead to you being imprisoned, punished and even put to death.
Each of the gifts in the song points to a different Catholic teaching. The “true love” mentioned in the song refers to God. The “me” who receives the gifts 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...” (Lk 13:34) The other symbols point to the following aspects of Catholic doctrine:
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”
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
As we enjoy this beautiful season of Christmas, I encourage you to sing some Christmas carols with family members, loved ones and friends. Singing is good for the soul. And singing about the gift of the birth of baby Jesus during this time is most appropriate! May you have most blessed Christmas season!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Fr. Berg
