Editor:
Friends, this is the most insane thing I have seen since Spire Books printed
a book on how the Gospel was concealed in Star Wars.
Or,
does this remind me of the Country Western jerk-water song about using a deck
of cards to teach biblical truth? Anyway, it is both hilarious and profoundly
tragic.
This
was sent to me by a reader who thinks he has got the truth.
When
most people hear of "The 12 days of Christmas" they think of the song. According
to legend this song had its origins as a teaching tool to instruct young people
in the meaning and content of the Christian faith. From 1558 to 1829 Roman Catholics
in England were not able to practice their faith openly so they had to find other
ways to pass on their beliefs. The song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is one
example of how they did it. "The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory.
Each of the items in the song represents something of religious significance.
The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help young Christians learn their
faith.
The
song goes,
"On
the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." The "true love" represents
God and the "me" who receives these presents is the Christian. The "partridge
in a pear tree" was Jesus Christ who died on a tree as a gift from God. The
"two turtle doves" were the Old and New Testaments - another gift from God.
The "three French hens" were faith, hope and love - the three gifts of the Spirit
that abide(I Corinthians 13). The "four calling birds" were the four Gospels
which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ. The "five golden rings"
were the first five books of the Bible also called the "Books of Moses." The
"six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation. The "seven swans a swimming"
were seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (the
seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church). The "eight maids a milking"
were the eight beatitudes. The "nine ladies dancing" were nine fruits of the
Holy Spirit.(Galatians 5:22-23) The "ten lords a-leaping" were the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping" were the eleven faithful disciples. The "twelve
drummers drumming" were the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed.
So the next time you hear
"The 12 Days of Christmas" consider how this otherwise non-religious sounding
song had its origins in the Christian faith.
Editor:
And
the farmer hauled another load away, And you could tell, By the smell,
That it wasn't a load of hay.
