The Twelve
Days of Christmas.
It may come as a surprise to you to
learn that "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written by Jesuits as a way to
pass on the Catholic faith to young Catholics in England during a time of
oppression that lasted from 1558 until 1829, during which Catholics were not
allowed to practice their faith. In the year 1558, Elizabeth I of England
reinstated a series of decrees and began a reign of oppression against
Catholics. Though Pope Pius V (to put it in the terms used by modern
language for this situation) called for regime change in England, this rogue
nation and its dictators would continue its oppression for years to come.
The items listed as gifts in The Twelve Days of
Christmas are allegory. Each one has religious significance and each one
is, of course, given by "my true love," who is God.
On the first
day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
This is a reference to Christ, who died on the Cross
to redeem man.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves.
The two turtle doves are the Old Testament and the New
Testament, which are gifts from God
On the third
day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens.
The three French hens are faith, hope and love -- the
three gifts of the Spirit. "So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13)
On the fourth
day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds.
The four calling birds are the four Gospels, that tell
the tale of salvation that comes to us through Christ Jesus.
On the fifth
day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings.
The five golden rings are the first five books of the
Old Testament. These five books are called the Pentateuch or the "Books of
Moses." These books tell of creation and the calling of Israel, and of God's
covenant with Moses and the people of Israel after God delivers them from
Egypt.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying.
The six geese are the six days of Creation, as
reported in the book of Genesis.
On the
seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming.
The seven swans a-swimming are the seven Gifts of the
Holy Spirit, which are:
- Wisdom
- Understanding
- Counsel
- Fortitude
- Knowledge
- Piety
- Fear of the Lord
There is actually some disagreement on
the reference in this item. Some sources report that the seven swans
a-swimming represent the seven Sacraments that Jesus instituted:
-
Baptism
-
Confirmation
-
Holy Eucharist
-
Reconciliation
-
Marriage
-
Holy Orders
-
Anointing of the Sick
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking.
There is no disagreement on this one; the eight maids
a-milking are the eight Beatitudes, the beginning of the Sermon on the
Mount. These are:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses
the land.
- Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be
comforted.
- Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after
justice: for they shall have their fill.
- Blessed are the merciful: for they shall
obtain mercy.
- Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall
see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
called the children of God.
- Blessed are they that suffer persecution for
justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing.
- The nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit,
which are named in Galatians 5: 22-23. "In contrast, the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping.
The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments:
-
I am the LORD
your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
-
You shall not
take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
-
Remember to
keep holy the LORD'S Day.
-
Honor your
father and your mother.
-
You shall not
kill.
-
You shall not
commit adultery.
-
You shall not
steal.
-
You shall not
bear false witness against your neighbor.
-
You shall not
covet your neighbor's wife.
-
You shall not
covet your neighbor's goods.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping.
The eleven pipers piping are the eleven faithful
apostles:
-
Peter (Simon)
-
John, the beloved
disciple
-
Matthew, a tax
collector, called Levi in Mark and Luke
-
James the Great, brother
of John and son of Zebedee
-
James the Less, whose
mother was at the foot of the Cross
-
Bartholomew, called
Nathaniel in John
-
Thomas, also called
Dydimus
-
Jude, called Thaddeus in
Mark and Lebbaeus in Matthew
-
Simon the Zealot
-
Philip, from Bethsaida
-
Andrew the brother of
Peter
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming.
The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of
the Apostles' Creed. Listed below is the Apostle's Creed broken into its
twelve points and listed by the Apostle to whom each point is attributed:
-
(Peter) I
believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
-
(Andrew) I believe in Jesus Christ, God's
only Son, our Lord,
-
(James the Great)
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
-
(John)
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
-
(Thomas)
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
-
(James the Less)
He ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of
the Father.
-
(Philip)
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
-
(Bartholomew) I believe in the Holy Spirit,
-
(Matthew)
the holy Catholic church,
the communion of saints,
-
(Simon)
the forgiveness of sins,
-
(Jude)
the resurrection of the body,
-
(Matthias)
and the life everlasting. AMEN.
