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What Beatle are you? Paul McCartney You have a soft heart. You love animals, nature & quite evenings with good friends.

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On the Fifth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
In our current culture, if you were to ask someone when the 12 Days of Christmas starts (assuming you aren’t standing outside a Liturgical church when you find someone to ask) they’ll come up with a date of about December 13th. In fact, the 12 Days of Christmas BEGIN on December 25th and end on January 5th (Twelfth Night of Shakespeare Fame) - which is the Eve of the Feast of Theophany (or Epiphany in the West).

What is this Twelve Day Feast, and why is it celebrated? There’s the practical answer – after our Advent Fast, it’s a time of joyous celebration. There’s the Theological answer – to properly celebrate the Incarnation, you need more than 24 hours. And, there’s the Liturgical answer, best summed up by Father Thomas Hopko in his Winter Pascha

The second day of Christmas in the Orthodox Church is dedicated to the
Virgin Mary. It is called the synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Church
assembles on this day to honor her through whom the Savior has come. The
entire creation is indebted to the Lord for its redemption, but the Lord
Himself is indebted to Mary who, humanly speaking, by the grace of the
Spirit, made possible His coming.1

There then follow the three days of the postfeast of the Nativity dedicated
to the memory of those who were killed for Christ. First is celebrated the
memory of the first Christian martyr, the deacon Stephen. As the hymns of
his festival declare, the persecution and death of Christians is an
inevitable result of the coining of Christ. Jesus came to die for the truth
of God, which is most perfectly actualized in the gift of ones life that
others may live. This is the most godlike expression of love possible to
creatures. Christ's disciples imitate His example, which is their calling
and command, finding within it their highest joy and fulfillment

He continues, “The third day of Christmas is dedicated to the memory of the holy martyrs of Nicomedia who refused to honor the earthly emperor as king in fidelity to
the only King of heaven. Their blood also, according to the ancient
Christian saying, has become the seed of the Church.”

And finishes with, “Finally, on the fourth day of the feast, the "pascha" of the innocent children slain by Herod is celebrated with praise.

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a
furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and
in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time
which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was
spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and
loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be
consoled, because they were no more." (Mt 2:16-18)”

Singing Christmas Carols this year, I was struck by how many of them are about these twelve days of Christmas (I was also struck by how meaty they are, but usually in the second and third verses, which no one sings anymore, but that’s another post).

Today’s Commemoration of the Holy Innocents is remembered in the beautiful Coventry Carol and St. Stephen’s Day is remembered when we sing about Good King Wenceslas (and also the hilarious if not traditional St. Stephen’s Day Murders by Elvis Costello)

So, remember that you're not done yet with Christmas. It's ok if your cards aren't out yet, if you still receive a gift or two, or even if you still shout out "Christ is Born!" it's not an early New Year's commemoration, it's celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas.

Christmas Wrapup.

We traveled to Tacoma for Christmas Eve Liturgy with Vespers afterwards on Saturday morning. Xavier served in the Altar, Cedric was with me.

In the afternoon, we went to Holy Ascension Mission’s first Holy Supper

I’d never been to a Holy Supper before, and it was really neat. I brought two dishes – rosemary, carrots and potatoes as well as a rosemary, toasted almond, bulgur and rice dish (which tastes really yummy with feta cheese after the fast is over, I discovered!). I’m not the main cook, and have a lot of performance anxiety over bringing food to a dinner – what if it tastes terrible, what if I give everyone EColi (Dawn was kind enough to point out I could give botulism as well, thanks!).

After the garlic with honey for the sweetness and sorrow of life (the kids are still talking about that) and a beautiful toast, we had 12 dishes served and ate them to the sound of Father reading the Gospel account of Christ’s birth.

During the supper, Xavier wanted some water. So we went downstairs (the Episcopal church is kind enough to let us rent a space) to get some. I told him to be quiet due to the Episcopal service. He wanted to know about "Miscopalians", and when we got back upstairs, he told his friend – we saw "Miscopalians". We talked about Anglicans again coming down the stairs when we ran into an usher and all the way home. I need to print out a lovely timeline that Dawn has linked on her Blog.

The kids each opened a gift on Christmas Eve – HeroClix for Xavier (from us) and a sketchbook and gloves for Cedric (from Aunt Paulie and Uncle Cleaver).

Christmas morning, we broke the fast with wonderful homemade Cinnamon Rolls and had a quiet opening of presents. Xavier and Ced both enjoyed their gifts and had a grand time. All the neighborhood kids played outside for most of the day, Xavier wearing his new Mariners sweatshirt.

I hope everyone’s holiday was just as nice, if you are on the New Calendar. Enjoy the 12 day Feast! And, continued Advent blessings to those who still wait for the Nativity of Christ

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

The Nativity Sermon of St. John Chrystostom

I behold a new and wondrous mystery!

My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but loudly
chanting a heavenly hymn!

The angels sing!

The archangels blend their voices in harmony!

The cherubim resound their joyful praise!

The Seraphim exalt His glory!

All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead herein... on earth and
man in heaven. He who is above now, for our salvation, dwells here below; and
we, who were lowly, are exalted by divine mercy!

Today Bethlehem resembles heaven, hearing from the stars the singing of angelic
voices and, in place of the sun, witnessing the rising of the Sun of Justice!

Ask not how this is accomplished, for where God wills, the order of nature is
overturned. For He willed He had the powers He descended. He saved. All things
move in obedience to God.

Today He Who Is, is born! And He Who Is becomes what He was not! For when He was
God, He became man-while not relinquishing the Godhead that is His... And so the
kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the
earth, not bringing with Him angels, nor archangels, nor thrones, nor dominions,
nor powers, nor principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has
come forth from a spotless womb.

Yet He has not forsaken His angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor
because of His incarnation has He ceased being God. And behold kings have come,
that they might serve the Leader of the Hosts of Heaven; Women, that they might
adore Him Who was born of a woman so that He might change the pains of
childbirth into joy; Virgins, to the Son of the Virgin...

Infants, that they may adore Him who became a little child, so that out of the
mouths of infants He might perfect praise; Children, to the Child who raised up
martyrs through the rage of Herod; Men, to Him who became man that He might heal
the miseries of His servants;

Shepherds, to the Good Shepherd who was laid down His life for His sheep;

Priests, to Him who has become a High Priest according to the order of
Melchizedek;

Servants, to Him who took upon Himself the form of a servant, that He might
bless our stewardship with the reward of freedom (Philippians 2:7);

Fishermen, to the Fisher of humanity;

Publicans, to Him who from among them named a chosen evangelist;

Sinful women, to Him who exposed His feet to the tears of the repentant woman;

And that I may embrace them all together, all sinners have come, that they may
look upon the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Since,
therefore, all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice! I too wish to share the choral
dance, to celebrate the festival! But I take my part, not plucking the harp nor
with the music of the pipes nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the
cradle of Christ!

For this is all my hope!

This is my life!

This is my salvation!

This is my pipe, my harp!

And bearing it I come, and having from its power received the gift of speech, I
too, with the angels and shepherds, sing:

"Glory to God in the Highest! and on earth peace to men of good will!"

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Have a wonderous Feast Day!