Tag: Christmas

January 2019

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.” Micah 5:4a

Dear Redeemer Family:
Christmas isn’t just a day. It isn’t just a season. Christmas is an event! It is exactly what the word means: Christ – Mas(s), a celebration of Christ. Among the faithful, it is always. Many of you will be reading these words as we are in the Season of Christmas, which goes for twelve days, and culminates on the Day of Epiphany, the evening before which is called “Twelfth Night” (that’s where Shakespeare got the title of his play of the same name, although it has little to do with date).

Lately, I’ve been reading the lyrics of some of our most beloved Christmas carols. The words of some of the older ones are the most powerful, and sometimes the most obscure. But, that shouldn’t be too surprising, as the lyrics are often poetry, and so are symbolic. Often the tune was attached to the poetic lyrics later. And although we may run through our lives humming the tune of a song, as that is often what sticks with us, it is really the words which strike home. One of the strangest of our Christmas carols is “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” It is the most symbolic. Here is what it means, and why it is:

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ (Christ on the cross).
-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-Four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-Five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-Six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
-Eight maids a-milking were the eight Beatitudes.
-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
-Ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
-Eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-Twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

Now, we may sing it with fuller meaning and understanding. Merry Christmas to all!
Pastor Rose

December 2018

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“Prepare the way of the Lord.” Matthew 3:3

Dear Redeemer Family:

Company’s coming! It’s time to get ready! In times so long ago we can only imagine, those keeping watch over a town or village would be the first to spot movement along the road. The good news of the company’s safe arrival would be shouted from the heights to those standing guard, or simply waiting, down below. The great bar pinning shut the castle or city gate would be shoved aside, the heavy door pulled open. At night, servants with blazing torches or lamps of oil would go running out to meet the approaching party and light the way. Exhilaration and joy would surround the travelers as they were ushered inside. The hosts would feel delightfully torn between pressing the visitors for all the latest news and leaving them alone for a while to refresh themselves and rest. Soon there would be time for feasting and mutually satisfying conversation.

Company’s coming! But now in these last days, even as gated communities are beginning to reappear, retinues with oil lamps are not. And so, as our own guests are en route, we watch the weather channel, tune in to traffic reports, call the airline to monitor a given flight’s progress. We mail and email maps or information about ground connections; perhaps we ourselves drive to the terminal and idle in a passenger loading zone, or more likely, the cellphone lot until we’ve just about memorized the messages repeated on the boards. Once our guests and their luggage have safely arrived, we feel delightfully torn between wanting to exchange all the latest news and allowing them to recover from jet lag.

Company’s coming! Not some stranger or supervisor we have to impress, but friends or family whose love for us reaches across time and distance and makes us eager to get ready. Once our company gets here, we won’t have to go out of our way to dazzle them with constant entertainment. Just being with them will be enough. Good shared memories will surface and surround us. A walk, or cup of coffee, or even a simple task undertaken together will become the substance of future memories. Because of the love and friendship that have drawn and kept us together, we trust that the visit will turn out to be one of the highlights of our year, and of theirs.

Company’s coming! Our Church year begins with this sense of joyful anticipation, of looking forward to welcoming one who loves us: Christ, the guest, who is already on the way.

Company’s coming! It’s time to get ready. We prepare as we’re able so that the visit can proceed. Once our guest has arrived, we want the focus to be not upon all that we have done to prepare, but upon the visit itself. During Advent we make ready at home. We make ready in church as well. Liturgical paraments and vestments in shades of blue mirror the deepening night. Candles flicker against the growing darkness. Away from the malls and traffic jams the liturgy helps us to create space where we can prepare ourselves and keep watch for Christ, the guest. It is love, the guest, who is already on the way; whose power is stirred up for our sake. Christ is journeying toward us. Let us prepare the way. Let us be prepared to welcome Him!

Pastor Rose