As I See It

by Fr. Vin

Epiphany – Our Christmas

Today’s feast deserves to be bigger than Christmas.  Some other areas of the church have got it right, such as Latin America and some parts of Europe and Asia.  We need to learn from them.

This is what I mean.  Christmas, in the liturgical cycle, is the appearance of the Messiah among the Jews (shepherds, Holy Family, even Herod).  But most of us don’t have a Jewish heritage, except in the spiritual sense.  For most of us, the real feast of the showing (which is what “epiphany” means) of the Son of God to us was – the arrival of the Wise Men.  This feast of the Epiphany is the celebration of the manifestation of the Savior to the whole world (which means, for most of us, to our ancestors).

Since Christmas has been so commercialized and is so frantic for even the best-intentioned among us, it may be a good thing that our surrounding culture hasn’t yet figured out a way to suck Epiphany into its commercial maw.  We’re left to celebrate in peace, embracing the religious significance of what we hear in today’s Scriptures and celebrate in the prayer of the Mass.  I suggest we make the most of it.  Here are some suggestions.

We might keep the traditional “twelve days of Christmas” (which end today, Epiphany).  Keep the tree up.  Keep the decorations lit.  Keep the Christmastide music playing.  And consider holding off at least some gift exchanges until this Twelfth Day.  (The gifts don’t have to be drummers drumming, but see below* for what that may mean.)

Next, we might consider a relaxed family get-together on each Epiphany.  Christmas is usually hectic; why not design a celebration that you can actually enjoy, and welcome Christ that way?

Finally, we might keep “Christmas” out of Advent as much as we can, and learn to enjoy Christmastide when our church teaches us to enjoy it: in the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany.

“Keeping Christ in Christmas (day)” may well be an uphill (and, for the wider culture, perhaps losing) battle.  But here’s a fight we can win, since we fight it on the territory of our own families and our own souls: Celebrate Christ throughout Christmastide, and especially at our own “Christmas,” Epiphany!  Until next week, peace.

*In case you were wondering, here’s a key to the symbolism of the carol:

“My True Love” refers to God the Father

“Me” is every faithful baptized believer

Day 1: The Partridge refers to Christ, the incarnate savior, coming on Christmas Day. (In medieval lore the partridge was said to feign injury and risk capture when threatened in order to save its offspring, thus becoming a symbol of Christ’s sacrificial death for us)

Day 2: Turtle Doves: the Old and New Testaments

Day 3: The French Hens are faith, hope and charity, the theological virtues

Day 4: Calling Birds: the four Gospels and/or the four evangelists (Gospel authors)

Day 5: Golden Rings: the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, which tell the story of humankind’s fall and of the promise of redemption

Day 6: Geese A-laying: the six days of creation

Day 7: Swans A-swimming: the seven “gifts of the Holy Spirit” in St. Paul’s writings (wisdom, piety, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, fear of the Lord), and/or the seven sacraments

Day 8: Maids A-milking: the eight beatitudes Day 9: Ladies Dancing: nine “fruits of the Holy Spirit” mentioned by St. Paul (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) (Interestingly, other lists have twelve fruits, but that wouldn’t fit in the carol)

Day 10: Lords A-leaping: the ten commandments

Day 11: Pipers Piping: the eleven faithful apostles (minus Judas)

Day 12: Drummers Drumming: the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed

The origins of this symbolism are, like many things in folklore, argued about.  If you’d like more information, see http://www.new-life.net/chrtms18.htm for background and references.  But who wants to argue during Christmastide?  Happy Epiphany!

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