The Twelve Days of Christmas

For the past few years, my family and I have attended the Boston Pops Holiday Concert during the Advent season. One of my favorite pieces is their arrangement of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” (You can go to the Pops website and download the music on your I-Pod!) This year, a child sitting in front of me asked her mother what the twelve days of Christmas were. Her mother was unsure, as I imagine many people are unclear.

At one time, the Christmas holiday was celebrated as a 12 day season, spanning from December 25 through January 6, Epiphany. This practice was particularly popular in England. The days were filled with secular revelry, but considered idolatrous among the Puritans. In fact, when the Puritans came to the Americas, they outlawed Christmas from 1659 to 1681 in Massachusetts. Christmas did not become a legal holiday until 1856, and what was recovered was Christmas Day, without the other eleven days.

The song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” may refer simply to the celebration of the Christmas season, or may have deeper theological meaning. There is no clear evidence that the song was used as a type of Catholic catechism, although we cannot prove otherwise. Either way, here is an explanation of the song’s Christians elements, courtesy of carol.org.uk. Enjoy.

1 True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves refer to the Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens refer to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds refer to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings refer to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying refer to the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming refer to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking refer to the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing refer to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping refer to the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping refer to the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming refer to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-20


The Birth of Jesus

2In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah,* the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,* praising God and saying,

14‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’*

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

1. This story is so familiar to us that we frequently overlook some striking realities.  What does it mean for a woman to be sent to a stable to birth a child?  What does it mean to us, that the good Lord of our lives might be born in a feeding trough?

2. How do we find nourishment this Christmas in the life of Christ Jesus?  How will we remember Christ throughout the year, as we take the body and blood of Christ in communion, as we are fed from the manger?
Prayer: Precious Lord, keep us near the baby Christ through this season of Christmas and into the New Year.  Compel us to search the scripture, to commune with our brothers and sisters in Christ regularly, and to keep us mindful of your love for us and all of creation.  AMEN.

Advent 6

Advent 6




“A shoot shall come out from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.” -Isaiah 11: 1-5 (NRSV)



Isaiah, like Jeremiah, anticipates a time when the exiles will return from Babylon. He hears God’s message of consolation for Judah, and declares it to the people.



1. Who is Jesse?

2. What parts of this prophesy came true during Jesus’ earthly ministry? Which parts were more easily seen during his eternal reign?

3. Does this multilayered prophesy make them harder to trust, or build your faith?

 
Lord, give us faith to know that your words are true and your promises are trustworthy.  Make us people with a firm hope in our future, because our hope is in you.  AMEN.

Advent 5




“As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of the pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet?

Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.

I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.” -Ezekiel 34: 17-24 (NRSV)



1. Often, we excuse our excess spending during the holidays, and throughout the year, with the logic, “It’s my money, I can do with it what I wish.” What inner fears or rewards drive you to spend more than you can afford or need? How can this passage from Ezekiel help you rethink your spending habits?

2. What kind of message is Ezekiel preaching about stewardship of our earth, our possessions, our wealth, and our time? Do you hear other warnings in Ezekiel’s admonition?

Prayer: Lord, at this Advent season, may you find us to be good stewards of the earth, our belongings, our finances and our time.  May we seek to treat one another with gentleness and kindness, as we also seek to be treated with care and respect.  Help us, Lord, for we ask these things in your awaited son's name.  AMEN.

Advent4

“For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. – Ezekiel 34: 11-16 (NRSV)




1. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) How does Jesus’ earthly ministry reflect God’s promises in Ezekiel?

2. What might it be like to be fed “with justice?” What do you think God is telling Ezekiel? Is he describing a new type of grass (justice grass) or is there more?

Prayer: Good and just Lord, feed us with justice, grace and mercy.  May we do the work of God by gathering the lost, the strayed, the injured and the weak.  All of this we pray through Jesus our good Lord, AMEN.  

Advent3

“The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them-to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.


Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild animals, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves and have not fed my sheep; therefore you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thurs says the Lord God, I am against the shepherds; and I will demand my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, so that they may not be food for them.” -Ezekiel 34:1-10 (NRSV)



While Jeremiah finds himself left behind in desecrated Jerusalem, Ezekiel is among those exiled to Babylon. He struggles to convict the Israelites of their sinfulness, to justify God’s actions and to paint a vision of Israel’s future.



1. To whom does the Lord refer when God speaks of the shepherds?

2. Who are we called to shepherd? To whom might you shepherd this day, this week, this Advent season?



Prayer: Pour out your mercy on me, dear Lord, that I might seek out the sheep of your fold, that I might minister to them in the power and might of your Holy Spirit. Give me eyes to find your sheep and ears to hear them in the dark night. AMEN

Advent2

“For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, and the levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to make grain offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time.


The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: Thus says the Lord: if any of you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their appointed time, only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken, so that he would not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with my ministers the Levites. Just as the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will increase the offspring of my servant David, and the Levites who minister to me.” - Jeremiah 33: 17-22 (NRSV)



1. If you were living in the days of Jeremiah, what would it mean to you to always have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel?

2. What do you think the phrase “the days are coming” would mean to those still living in Israel? What does it mean to us today?



Prayer: Good Lord, our God, guide us through this Advent season. Give us eyes to see past loss and devastation, to a future of hope. Prepare us for the time when we will rely only on you because you are all that is left to us. May we live in righteousness and grace until that day. AMEN.

Advent 1

"The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name which it will be called: 'the Lord is our Righteousness.'" - Jeremiah 33: 14-16

When Jeremiah heard this voice from God, he was surrounded by devastation. The Babylonians had ransacked Jerusalem, looting the temple and burning the city. The most educated and accomplished Judeans were exiled to Babylon, while a remnant of the population remained to try to live their lives amid the destruction.

1. If you found yourself among a handful of people living amid the horrors of a desolate city, how would you feel? What would you think about God?

2. What do you think people who found themselves left behind in a ravaged and deserted city believed God's promise to be?

3. Is it possible that any leader might be expected to always execute justice and righteousness? Do all human leaders eventually fall short of doing what is just and right?

For the past seven weeks, I have been deeply immersed in the findings reflected in the book UnChristian, by David Kinaman. Yet, Kinnaman's research shouldn't surprise me. In my own dealings with the church I have found Christians to be judgmental, hypocritical, out of touch, and insincere. In fact, whether Christians or not, I have experienced folks who reflect these attributes. Further, I know I am guilty of the same behavior. So, is the problem that Kinnaman points to the fact that the Christians, while claiming to aspire to be like Christ, miss the mark, or is the problem that people outside of Christianity have an impossibly high standard for Christians? And have we Christians accepted an unrealistic standard for behavior, then pretended to live up to that standard? What do you think?

Coffee, tea, or God?

September 15, 2009
Do you prefer coffee, or are you strictly a tea drinker? Do you crave the early morning experience of that first sip of warm brew? Do you think about it, yearn for it, from the time the alarm breaks your peaceful morning musings, or the moment your tender tootsies hit the hard, cold reality of the floor? Do you sigh in utter contentment when the first sip courses across your tongue and down your throat? Do you hold the cup in your lap, allowing the warmth to renew your fingers, travel through your hands to your arms, and maybe warm your heart? Have you ever driven out of your way to pick up a cup of heavenly potion, and waited in line to receive the gift of a renewal, revitalization, and resurrection held in one tiny cup?
What if we had the same feelings about God that we have about our caffeine cravings? What if we experienced God each morning with a sense of pining and passion? What if our first thought in the morning was to find the message God had for us that day: maybe a passion hidden in the early morning dew or the breaking sun? What if we experienced utter contentment in a word written in scripture or a poem, or in music? What if we felt God moving through our fingers, along our arms, and into our hearts? Do we think we might stand in line and wait for the gift?
How do we experience God?

The First Time

Coming to a church on Sunday morning for the first time can be a difficult and intimidating act. It takes a lot of courage for a person to enter the worship space, particularly if they are alone. Often, people come to church for the first time after a recent difficult transition: a move to a new city, the death of someone close, or the loss of a relationship. They are looking for comfort. Maybe they have been away from the church for awhile. Perhaps they have had a bad church experience. Recently, I've noticed many of our visitors come with friends for the first time or two. Do you remember the first time you visited your church? How did it feel? What made you uncomfortable? What made you comfortable? When did it start to feel comfortable? What might have made you feel more at ease?

Too Busy to Pray?

Why do people shy away from prayer? Is it unfashionable? Do only fanatical Christians pray? Is there a fear of being swept away in an uncontrollable tsunami of the Holy Spirit? Do some Christians think prayer is passé, only for children? I don’t really understand why anyone, given the power to transform their life into something better, beyond their imagination, would not take advantage of that source. Yet, that is exactly what God gives us, the power to co-create with the Divine, to live life anew and refreshed, indeed to be part of something few people ever experience: the kingdom of God.

That is not to imply that the kingdom has not been given to all of us. It has. Yet, without the power of prayer most folks will miss it, walk past it, sink, drown, and never know the immense gift that was given from the beginning.

In his book, Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels describes prayer as an “unnatural activity.” He goes on to write:

From birth we have been learning the rules of self-reliance as we strain and struggle to achieve self-sufficiency. Prayer flies in the ace of those deep-seated values. It is an assault on human autonomy, an indictment of independent living. To people in the fast lane, determined to make it on their own, prayer is an embarrassing interruption.

Prayer is alien to our proud human nature. (p. 9)

Why do you think people are reluctant to pray? Is it simply inconvenient, or is there more?

Wildly Successful

Recently, I was struck by a blog written by a friend and colleague, about her “wildly successful” church. Hmm, I thought. I’ve been to that church. They share donated space, don’t have an organ, or stained glass, or even a pulpit to preach from. About 25 to 30 people congregate there weekly. Yet, they know themselves to be “wildly successful.” What makes a church wildly successful? Perhaps it is more than filling the pews.

At Wildly Successful UMC, they cite their work to become an anti-racism church, and proudly acknowledge their efforts toward inclusion and equality. They model a way of doing church that is “radically relevant” in the 21st Century. They envision their own building one day, a community center that provides a home for their congregation, but also houses a counseling center, office sharing for small non-profits, community room, day laborers' center, and interfaith worship space. That is a very different vision of church.

So what is your vision of the 21st Century Church? What would that look like in Suburbia, USA? What is the world’s great need? Where is God in all that?