January, 2007 Calendar In This Issue: Twelve Days of Christmas & Epiphany Saint A's Gets Greener New Adult Class Forming: A Rule of Life? Newcomer's and Inquirer's Class Forming Now Stewardship: A "Last Word"

by The Rev. Laura V. Queen

Christmas is the church season that begins with Advent and concludes on the Epiphany. Christmastide is part of that season and it lasts only twelve days. It is the time span between the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the Epiphany. The Epiphany is when we celebrate the coming of the Magi or Wise Men who bring gifts to the Christ child as recounted in Matthews Gospel chapter two.

The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas (December 25) and Epiphany (January 6th), which is when we celebrate the day that the three Wise Men supposedly arrived in Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. The twelve days of Christmas are not the twelve days before Christmas, as many incorrectly believe. The custom of giving a gift on each of the twelve days of Christmas is not practiced much any more. However, in some families, the tradition of giving Christmas gifts on each of those twelve days continues to be part of their holiday ritual.

Most people know of the Twelve Days of Christmas from the song of that name. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" the song was actually written with a serious purpose. It is more than just a list of twelve strange gifts. The song was created to assist in teaching about Catholicism during a period of history where it was against the law to be a practicing Roman Catholic. In England during the period 1558 to 1829 it was illegal to practice Catholicism in public or private; it wasn't until 1829 that Parliament emancipated Roman Catholics in England. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Roman Catholics learn the basics of their faith. The song was written as a memory aid. Since the song sounded so ridiculous, young Roman Catholics could sing it without fear of imprisonment. The authorities did not know that it was a religious song. The song's gifts had hidden meanings on the teachings of the Catholic faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but refers to God. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person, the church. The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so…"

Here is a complete list of the 12 symbols with their meanings:

The Epiphany, January 6, is the climax of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas. This celebration goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as the Three Kings' Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night. This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany (a King's Cake is also part of the observance of Mardi Gras in French Catholic culture of the Southern USA).

In traditional Christian churches Christmas, as well as Easter, is celebrated as a period of time, a season of the church year, rather than just a day. The Season of Christmas begins with the First Sunday of Advent, marked by expectation and anticipation, and concludes with Epiphany, which looks ahead to the mission of the church to the world in light of the Nativity. The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are called Christmastide. In the Episcopal Church the season of Epiphany extends from January 6th until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent leading to Easter. Depending on the timing of Easter, this includes from four to nine Sundays.

The term epiphany means "to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." It remembers the coming of the Wise Men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child, who by so doing "reveal" Jesus to the world as Lord and Messiah. In some eastern churches, Epiphany commemorates Jesus' baptism and the visit of the Magi and both are linked to Christmas.

As with most aspects of the Christian liturgical calendar, Epiphany has theological significance as a teaching tool in the church. The Wise Men or Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" and so they were the first to "show" or "reveal" Jesus to the wider world as the incarnate Christ. This act of worship by the Magi, which corresponded to Simeon's blessing that this child Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32), was one of the first indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a few.

Epiphany is a time to focus on the mission of the church. It is a time to reach out to others by "showing" Jesus as the Savior of all people. It is also a time of focusing on acceptance, respect and dignity for others. It is a time when we are reminded to heal the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that would divide us and prevent us from knowing the love and grace of God. It is a time to make known the love that is freely given to us and to give it to others through our words and actions.

Christmas comes again to remind us of Gods love. Christ is born again into a world struggling for peace, for justice and for hope. This year as you sing the Twelve Days of Christmas and the silly rhymes remember the symbols of our faith. As you prepare for the Epiphany think about how you will make your faith known to others through acts of radical acceptance, kindness and love.

Blessing Prayer for the Christmas Tree − Prayer begins with family gathered around the tree.

Lord of the Forest, Maker of Trees, we honor You as we dedicate this tree*, that it be a sign of Christmas in our home.

Green as life are its needled leaves; open and inviting are its outstretched branches; strong as love is its trunk.

May the blessing of this tree call forth from within us the memory of our ancient parents who worshipped trees as godly.

May we show reverence and care toward all the brother and sister trees of this our Christmas tree.

May we speak to them and sing them songs, enjoy their shade and eat their fruit.

May we learn wisdom from their stories and faithfulness from their ever−greenness.

May all trees be for us Christmas trees and trees of Life as they become incarnations of God in our own Garden of Eden.

As Christ died upon the tree of the Cross that we might be gifted with Life, may we then remember

that the gifts soon to be placed about this tree are but reflections of the gifts that came at the foot of the tree of the Cross.

As sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, let us rejoice in this tree of Life; may the spirits of kindness and love rest upon it.

May the spirit of Christmas ride in its branches, this season and for all seasons.

Amen.

*use "symbol of a tree" if the tree is artificial.

From: Prayers for the Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home by Edward Hays

Copyright © 2007 St. Augustine by-the-Sea