Thursday, December 26
The First Day
Reading:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One!” [1]
Reflection:
December 26th begins the Twelve Days of Christmas, the period of time between Christmas and Epiphany, or between the birth of Jesus and his revelation as a child of God. The twelve days of Christmas are best known by a Christmas song that seems non-sensical, at least to me. For many in the West, by December 26th we are planning for New Year’s Eve and looking ahead to the New Year. In many Eastern Christian traditions, however, December 25th is not the day Christmas is celebrated. Rather, it is January 6th, Epiphany, which symbolizes the arrival of the Magi and the recognition of the divine nature of the child.
Each of the twelve days of Christmas symbolize a significant tenet of the faith, as revealed by its number. Each of the numbers also have non-religious and geometric inferences dating back thousands of years. All told, the twelve days of Christmas tell a Christian story and a broader, ecumenical story of the foundations of human wholeness. The twelve days can help us understand our personal journey towards wholeness, or holy-ness, and the revelation of our divine nature.
The first day of Christmas, represented by the number 1, reminds us of our belief in One God. It also signifies the ultimate goal of our Christian faith – to become One with God. In truth, our essential being has always been One with God, but we are not consciously aware of it. Being consciously aware of our Oneness with God means we accept God as an intimate presence in every aspect of our lives – God lives our lives with and through us. Once that Oneness becomes a lived reality, our lives become a continuous prayer.
In the song, the gift on the first day of Christmas is a partridge in a pear tree. Symbolically, the partridge represents Jesus and the pear tree represents the cross.
Closing Meditation:
Consider how your Oneness with God manifests in ways you do not consciously notice.
Journal the thoughts and feelings that arise.
This daily series, Contemplative Christmas, is replacing my weekly Life Notes until January 6, 2025, when my weekly blog will resume. The thoughts expressed here are mine. To engage with me: ghildenbrand@outlook.com.
[1] Deuteronomy 6:4
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