A Prayerful Meditation on the Twelve Days of Christmas

"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Twelve Drummers Drumming ..." sounding out the cadence of what we believe in our lives, the Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed: 1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. 3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin...

“On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Eleven Pipers Piping ..." symbolizing the eleven faithful apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. The list does not include Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple who betrayed Jesus. Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus called th...

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Ten Lords A Leaping ..." the lords or rulers of our lives establish the law. The lords stand for the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, which are holy and good, by which we should live and by which we are all judged. (Gal 3:10-28) Prayer: Heavenly Father we strive to live by your commandments, help us oh Lord. We pray for those who...

“On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Nine Ladies Dancing ..." who were the least of the servants in a home. They symbolize Christ’s love for the least of us, and His faithfulness to those who don’t deserve it. The eight maids stand for the Beatitudes or blessings listed in Matthew.  Prayer: Jesus, thank you for standing by us when we least deserve it…we remember today that bless...

“On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Eight Maids a Milking ..." who were the least of the servants in a home. They symbolize Christ’s love for the least of us, and His faithfulness to those who don’t deserve it. The eight maids stand for the Beatitudes or blessings listed in Matthew.  Prayer: Jesus, thank you for standing by us when we least deserve it…we remember today that bl...

“On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Seven Swans A Swimming ..." representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion or the seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, penance, Eucharist, marriage, anointing of the sick, and holy orders. This is a day of new beginning, seven is the number of finality and we...

“On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Six Geese A Laying ..." symbolizing the six days of the creation. Eggs are also a  universal symbol of new life. Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are reminded this day that there is holiness in the ordinary. There is holiness in the birth of a new child, in the creation of life, and in the ordinary task of raising those children. We are blessed t...

“On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Five Golden Rings ..." pointing to the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Torah or the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. This is the history of humanity’s fall from grace and God’s response to make those people a light unto the world. Prayer: Heavenly Father, guide us through the wilderness o...

“On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Four Calling Birds ..."symbolizing the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which proclaim the good news of God’s reconciliation of the world to Himself through Jesus Christ. Prayer: Lord Jesus, today we give thanks for the good news! We are blessed to have heard it in our lives and are called to share the news with others. Help us sh...

“On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Three French Hens ..." symbolic of the gifts of the Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts symbolize the three theological values of faith, hope, and charity or sacrificial love and foretells of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Prayer: Father, we give thanks for family and the sacrificial love that is the glue that holds f...

“On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Two Turtle Doves ..." which represent the Old and New Testaments, which bear witness to God’s relationship with all mankind. God’s relationship is begun in the New Testament in His covenant with Abraham and his Descendants and is fulfilled in the New Testament by the new covenant of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Prayer: Heavenly F...

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A Partridge in a Pear Tree …." The partridge symbolizes Jesus, the Christ. He is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless chicks. Prayer: Oh Lord who sacrificed for us, so that we may live in the safety of the knowledge that our death is not the end but only the beginning, we rejoice!...