Today we honor St. John the Evangelist, December 27, and does he pack a lot in his resume. It seems he is in quite good standing with God and Jesus, because he was the only Apostle not martyred. He was too busy writing the story to get caught up in the action. Perhaps that is what drew me to a life of writing.
Today is the third day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist. According to Catholic Culture, he was born in Bethsaida, he was called while mending his nets to follow Jesus. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and the life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament.
He is the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and His fraternal love. With James, his brother, and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, he leans on the Master's breast. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts His Mother to his care. John's pure life kept him very close to Jesus and Mary in years to come. John was exiled to the island of Patmos under Emperor Domitian.
The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25, the celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus. Of course there are probably not many of you who even know there is a "Twelve Days of Christmas" celebration, let alone that it dates from the Fifth Century, which happens to be sixteen centuries ago.
Perhaps this seems more familiar for the modern person.
[Oops, FAKE NEWS]
Sometime in November, as things now stand, the "Christmas
season" begins. The streets are hung with lights, the stores are decorated
with red and green, and you can't turn on the radio without hearing songs about
the spirit of the season and the glories of Santa Claus. The excitement builds
to a climax on the morning of December 25, and then it stops, abruptly.
Christmas is over, the New Year begins, and people go back to their normal
lives.
December 26 is the 4th busiest shopping day of the
year
LOS ANGELES, CA (FOX 11) - December 26 is the 4th busiest
shopping day of the year, and certainly a lot of people come out to get deals
and all the gifts they didn’t get under the Christmas tree.
People also make those returns of gifts they either didn’t want or didn’t fit.
About 4% of gifts actually do go back. If you’re going to make a
return, make sure you have that original receipt or gift receipt to make your
experience a lot faster and easier. It’s also a good idea to know the
store’s policy when it comes to returns. Make sure the tags are on the
items as well. Employees are making sure those shelves are stocked for those
exchanges.
This is the best shopping season since 2011, so retailers are
getting the spike they need. Online sales were up 18%, and even brick and
mortar stores were seeing more foot traffic. The economy is doing well
according to analysts. Mastercard stated that it’s not just wealthy people
coming out to spend their dollars; people living paycheck to paycheck are
spending, too. The economy is booming and more people are willing to shell out
some money.
Here's another sign that shoppers spent big this holiday season
Americans
spent at a record pace this holiday shopping season, according to a report from
MasterCard's SpendingPulse.
That's good news for retailers that
need to finish strong after a difficult year.
Sales jumped nearly 5% between
November 1 and Christmas Eve compared to the same time period last year,
according to the MasterCard report. That number tracks in-store and online
purchases no matter the payment method, and it excludes car sales.
It's the biggest percentage gain
since 2011, when the economy was still coming back from the Great Recession.
Online purchases accounted for much
of the increase: They spiked 18% this year. But brick-and-mortar stores posted
sales gains, too.
In fact online sales still made up
only 11% to 12% of overall purchases, even with the pace of growth this year,
said Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of market insights for MasterCard.
"While online is important and
it's growing, it is dwarfed by what occurs in the physical stores," she
said. "The brick-and-mortar growth drove this holiday shopping
season."
Back to the Past...
Compare that to the traditional Christian celebration of Christmas, which is exactly the opposite. The
season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and for nearly a
month Christians await the coming of Christ in a spirit of expectation, singing
hymns of longing. Then, on December 25, Christmas Day itself ushers in 12 days
of celebration, ending only on January 6 with the feast of the Epiphany.
There are some serious ceremonies around the world. So the first three of twelve days are dedicated to saints and feasts are held in their honor.
The three traditional feasts (dating back to the late fifth
century) that follow Christmas reflect different ways in which the mystery of
the Incarnation works itself out in the body of Christ.
December 26 is the
feast of St. Stephen—a traditional day for giving leftovers to the poor (as
described in the carol "Good King Wenceslas"). As one of the first
deacons, Stephen was the forerunner of all those who show forth the love of
Christ by their generosity to the needy. But more than this, he was the first
martyr of the New Covenant, witnessing to Christ by the ultimate gift of his
own life.
St. John the Evangelist, commemorated on December 27, is
traditionally the only one of the twelve disciples who did not die a martyr. Rather, John witnessed to the
Incarnation through his words, turning Greek philosophy on its head with his
affirmation, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John
1:14, KJV).
On
December 28, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents, the children
murdered by Herod. These were not martyrs like Stephen, who died heroically in
a vision of the glorified Christ. They were not inspired like John to speak the
Word of life and understand the mysteries of God. They died unjustly before
they had a chance to know or to will—but they died for Christ nonetheless. In
them we see the long agony of those who suffer and die through human injustice,
never knowing that they have been redeemed.
In
the Middle Ages, these three feasts were each dedicated to a different part of
the clergy. Stephen, fittingly, was the patron of deacons. The feast of John
the Evangelist was dedicated to the priests, and the feast of the Holy
Innocents was dedicated to young men training for the clergy and serving the
altar. The sub-deacons (one of the "minor orders" that developed in
the early church) objected that they had no feast of their own. So, it became
their custom to celebrate the "Feast of Fools" around January 1,
often in conjunction with the feast of Christ's circumcision on that day (which
was also one of the earliest feasts of the Virgin Mary, and is today celebrated
as such by Roman Catholics).
Boxing Day UK Style
By the way, in the UK the Feast of St. Stephen (December 26) is called Boxing Day, a rather odd sounding name for a sacred holiday that incorporates rather odd means of celebrating the feast of St. Stephen. I would explain it all to you but I suspect most of you could care less about it, and if you are interested, why Goggle is certain to have the information just a fingertip away, just by using a send key, and triggering the swarming, penetrating electromagnetic waves feeding off your mind.
Here is how they celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen, now called Boxing Day, in the former British Commonwealth.
[You cannot be serious]
Well leave it to the Brits to redefine sacred while demonstrating creative ways to subvert the true meaning of the birth of the Savior, the first step in the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies of the coming Messiah. Father Creator sends us His only begotten Son, Jesus, to fulfill the prophecy of the Bible, and we, well, we go for a swim in goofy outfits.
Not what I expected to find on the Road to Kingdom Come.
The Feast of St. John the Evangelist
Today, December 27, we honor John the Evangelist.
Finally,
on Epiphany (January 6), the celebration of Christmas comes to an end.
"Twelfth Night" (as all lovers of Shakespeare know) is the ultimate
celebration of Christmas madness (Shakespeare's play features one of his many
"wise fools" who understand the real meaning of life better than
those who think they are sane).
Epiphany commemorates the beginning of the
proclamation of the gospel—Christ's manifestation to the nations, as shown in
three different events: the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the
turning of water into wine. In the Western tradition, the Magi predominate. But
in the Eastern churches, Jesus' baptism tends to still be the primary theme.
How are you honoring the traditions of religion over the magic of the Magi? Before the end of the Twelve Days I will show you how magic aided in the role of Jesus and was essential to completing his mission. I thank you for enduring with me and assure you your pathway to seeking truth will be greatly aided when you call on the Holy Spirit to enlighten you, to the path of Jesus, to the perfect love of the Father.
It is day two in the Twelve Days of Christmas, December 26, and record crowds are making it one the largest shopping sprees of the year as people return all the stuff they do not want, exchange stuff to get the right size, and simply put, drive the economy into high gear. The Money Lenders are smiling as cash registers rings or credit cards get sucked dry in this feeding frenzy. What a shame to see the state to which we have descended.
Things were not always like this after the Resurrection of Jesus. In fact, just two years after Jesus died one of the Seven Deacons selected by St. Peter to assist the Apostles, became the first martyr of the followers of Jesus.
Stephen's Holy Ghost inspired role as one of the most successful Intercessors since Jesus set the example for ages to come, including to this day. Miracles were performed by Stephen in the name of the Lord and Jesus at a pace never seen since. Later in this story you can read much more about the astonishing life and ministry of Stephen, but for the moment, just contemplate on what you did not know about this first of all Christian martyrs. St Augustine said; “If St. Stephen had not
prayed, the Church would never have had St.
Paul.” Stephen prayed, he used his Intercessor role to influence God to grant many needs and wishes. Though not an Apostle, his influence on Saul, later to become Paul, and many, many other converts, was exactly what Jesus asked of his disciples.
When
Good King Wenceslas provided food to a poor man gathering winter fuel on St.
Stephen's Day, he began the tradition of doing acts of charity on December 26.
St. Stephen's Day is also Boxing Day.Add caption
Boxer Day - Canada and former British Commonwealth members
Martha Perkins of the Vancouver Courier
Today, while many countries
Commonwealth traditions offer Boxing Day as a holiday, it was an especially
important day off for staff in Pepys’ day. They all had to work on Christmas
Day to ensure the day was “happy and bright” for the gentry and upper classes.
Who else would empty the chamber pots, keep the fireplaces stoked and prepare
and serve the glorious Christmas feast?
On December 26, while the gentry
slept off the over-indulgences of the day before, tradesmen and house staff
finally got to celebrate their own Christmas. One tradition was to open boxes
their employers had filled with gifts, money, hand-me-downs and even some
leftover food from Christmas dinner.
When
Good King Wencelas provided food to a poor man gathering winter fuel on St.
Stephen's Day, he began the tradition of doing acts of charity on December 26.
St. Stephen's Day is also Boxing Day.
Boxing Day is also known as St.
Stephen's Day. And it was Good King Wencelas who, back in the 10th century,
made that day famous as a day of gift-giving.
Good King Wenceslas looked out On the Feast of Stephen...
When a poor man came in sight Gath'ring winter fuel...
"Bring me flesh and bring
me wine Bring me pine-logs hither Thou and I shall see him dine When we bear them thither."
Therefore, Christian men, be
sure Wealth or rank possessing Ye, who now will bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing.
Call it St. Stephen's Day or Boxing
Day, but it is supposed to be a time when we do acts of charity for those less
fortunate than us.
If you venture out on
Boxing Day today, both of those traditions seem to be lost. It used to be that
Boxing Day truly was the second day of Christmas. Stores were closed and
everyone simply enjoyed another day of rest or playing with their presents.
Boxing Day sales were postponed to December 27.
Sara Evans Twelve Days of Christmas
(Double click for full screen)
The Meaning Behind the 12 Days of
Christmas A Spiritual Archives Story from All-Creatures.org
Hi All, this was sent to me today, it ties into the discussion of
the meaning behind various hymns and carols. -John Z Gardiner
The 12 Days of Christmas -- The Rest of the Story
When most people hear of "The 12 Days of Christmas",
they think of the song. This song had its origins as a teaching tool to
instruct young people in the meaning and content of the Christian faith.
Each of the items in the song represents something of religious
significance. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help young
Christians learn their faith. The song goes, "On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me..."
The "true love" represents God and the "me"
who receives these presents is the Christian. Here you go:
The "partridge in a pear tree" was Jesus Christ who died
on a tree as a gift from God.
The "two turtle doves" were the Old and New Testaments -
another gift from God.
The "three French hens" were faith, hope and love - the
three gifts of the Spirit that abide (I Corinthians 13).
The "four calling birds" were the four Gospels which
sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The "five golden rings" were the first five books of the
Bible also called the "Books of Moses".
The "six geese a-laying" were the six days of creation.
The "seven swans a swimming" were the "seven gifts
of the Holy Spirit". (I Corinthians 12:8-11; Romans 12, Ephesians 4; I
Peter 4:10-11).
The "eight maids a milking" were the eight beatitudes.
The "nine ladies dancing" were nine fruits of the Holy
Spirit. (Galatians 5:22 & 23)
The "ten lords a-leaping" were the Ten Commandments.
The "eleven pipers piping" were the eleven faithful
disciples.
The "twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of
the Apostles' Creed.
So, the next time you hear "The 12 Days of Christmas",
consider how this otherwise non-religious sounding song had its origins in the
Christian faith.
St. Stephen - Arch-Deacon,
Intercessor, and first martyr.
St. Stephen, the First Martyr by Dom Prosper Gueranger, 1870
St. Peter Damian thus begins his Sermon for
this Feast: "We are holding in our arms the Son of the "Virgin, and
are honouring, with our caresses, this our Infant God. The holy Virgin has led
us to the dear Crib. The most beautiful of the Daughters of men has brought us
to the most beautiful among the Sons of men, and the Blessed among women to Him
that is Blessed above all. She tell us that now the veils of prophecy are drawn
aside, and the counsel of God is accomplished. Is there anything capable of
distracting us from this sweet Birth? On what else shall we fix our eyes? Lo!
whilst Jesus is permitting us thus to caress Him; whilst He is overwhelming us
with the greatness of these mysteries, and our hearts are riveted in
admiration--there comes before us Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, doing
great wonders and signs among the people? Is it right, that we turn from our
King, to look on Stephen, His soldier? No--unless the King himself bid us do
so. This our King, who is Son of the King, rises to assist at the glorious
combat of His servant. Let us go with him, and contemplate this standard-bearer
of the Martyrs."
The Church gives us,
in today's Office, this opening of a
Sermon of St. Fulgentius for the Feast of St. Stephen:
"Yesterday,
we celebrated the temporal "Birth of our eternal King: today, we celebrate
the triumphant passion of His Soldier. Yesterday, our King, having put on the
garb of our flesh, came from the sanctuary of His Mother's virginal womb, and
mercifully visited the earth: today, His Soldier, quitting his earthly
tabernacle, entered triumphantly into heaven. Jesus, whilst still continuing to
be the eternal God, assumed to Himself the lowly raiment of flesh, and entered
the battlefield of this world: Stephen, laying aside the perishable garment of
the body, ascended to the palace of heaven, there to reign for ever. Jesus
descended veiled in our flesh: Stephen ascended wreathed with a martyr's
laurels. Stephen ascended to heaven amidst the shower of stones, because Jesus
had descended on earth midst the singing of Angels. Yesterday, the holy Angels
exultingly sang, Glory be to God in the highest; today, they joyously received
Stephen into their company. Yesterday, was Jesus wrapped, for our sakes, in
swaddling-clothes: today, was Stephen clothed with the robe of immortal glory.
Yesterday, a narrow crib contained the Infant Jesus: today, the immensity of
the heavenly court received the triumphant Stephen."
Thus does the sacred Liturgy blend the joy of our Lord's Nativity with
the gladness she feels at the triumph of the first of her Martyrs. Nor will
Stephen be the only one admitted to share the honours of this glorious Octave.
After him, we shall have John, the Beloved Disciple; the Innocents of Bethlehem
; Thomas, the Martyr of the Liberties of the Church; and Sylvester, the Pontiff
of Peace. But, the place of honour amidst all who stand round the Crib of the
new-born King, belongs to Stephen, the Proto-Martyr, who, as the Church sings
of him, was " the first to pay back to the Saviour, the Death "
suffered by the Saviour." It was just, that this honour should be shown to
Martyrdom; for, Martyrdom is the Creature's testimony, and return to his
Creator for all the favours bestowed on him: it is Man's testifying, even by
shedding his blood, to the truths which God has revealed to the world.
In order to understand this, let us consider what is the plan of God, in
the salvation he has given to man. The Son of God is sent to instruct mankind;
He sows the seed of His divine word; and His works give testimony to His
divinity. But, after His sacrifice on the cross, He again ascends to the right
hand of His Father; so that His own testimony of Himself has need of a second
testimony, in order to its being received by them that have neither seen nor
heard Jesus Himself. Now, it is the Martyrs who are to provide this second
testimony; and this they will do, not only by confessing Jesus with their lips,
but by shedding their blood for Him. The Church, then, is to be founded by the
Word and the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God; but she will be upheld, she will
continue throughout all ages, she will triumph over all obstacles, by the blood
of her Martyrs, the members of Christ: this their blood will mingle with that
of their Divine Head, and their sacrifice be united to His.
The Martyrs shall bear the closest resemblance to their Lord and King.
They shall be, as he said, like lambs among wolves (St. Luke, x. 3). The world
shall be strong, and they shall be weak and defenceless: so much the grander
will be the victory of the Martyrs, and the greater the glory of God who gives
them to conquer. The Apostle tells us, that Christ crucified is the power and
the wisdom of God (I. Cor. i. 24);--the Martyrs, immolated, and yet conquerors
of the world, will prove, and with a testimony which even the world itself will
understand, that the Christ whom they confessed, and who gave them constancy
and victory, is in very deed the power and the wisdom of God. We repeat,
then--it is just, that the Martyrs should share in all the triumphs of the
Man-God, and that the liturgical Cycle should glorify them as does the Church
herself, who puts their sacred Relics in her altar-stones; for, thus, the
Sacrifice of their glorified Lord and Head is never celebrated, without they
themselves being offered together with him, in the unity of His mystical Body.
Now, the glorious Martyr-band of Christ is headed by St. Stephen. His
name signifies the Crowned; a conqueror like him could not be better named. He
marshals, in the name of Christ, the white-robed army, as the Church calls the
Martyrs; for, he was the first, even before the Apostles themselves, to receive
the summons, and right nobly did he answer it. Stephen courageously bore
witness, in the presence of the Jewish Synagogue, to the divinity of Jesus of
Nazareth; by thus proclaiming the Truth, he offended the ears of the
unbelievers; the enemies of God, became the enemies of Stephen, and, rushing
upon him, they stone him to death. Amidst the pelting of the blood-drawing
missives, he, like a true soldier, flinches not, but stands, (as St. Gregory of
Nyssa so beautifully describes it) as though snowflakes were falling on him, or
roses were covering him with the shower of their kisses. Through the cloud of
stones, he sees the glory of God; Jesus, for whom he was laying down his life,
showed Himself to his Martyr, and the Martyr again rendered testimony to the
divinity of our Emmanuel, but with all the energy of a last act of love. Then,
to make his sacrifice complete, he imitates his divine Master, and prays for
his executioners: falling on his knees, he begs that this sin be not laid to
their charge. Thus, all is consummated--the glorious type of Martyrdom is
created, and shown to the world, that it may be imitated, by every generation,
to the end of time, until the number of the Martyrs of Christ shall be filled
up. Stephen sleeps in the Lord, and is buried in peace--in pace--until his
sacred Tomb shall be discovered, and his glory be celebrated a second time in
the whole Church, by that anticipated Resurrection of the miraculous Invention
of his Relics.
Stephen, then, deserves to stand near the Crib of his King, as leader of
those brave champions, the Martyrs, "who died for the Divinity of that
Babe, whom we adore. Let us join the Church in praying to our Saint, that he
help us to come to our Sovereign Lord, now lying on his humble throne in
Bethlehem. Let us ask him to initiate us into the mystery of that divine
Infancy, which we are all bound to know and imitate. It was from the simplicity
he had learnt from that Mystery, that he heeded not the number of the enemies
he had to fight against, nor trembled at their angry passion, nor winced under
their blows, nor hid from them the Truth and their crimes, nor forgot to pardon
them and pray for them. What a faithful imitator of the Babe of Bethlehem! Our
Jesus did not send his Angels to chastise those unhappy Bethlehemites, who
refused a shelter to the Virgin-Mother, who in a few hours was to give birth to
Him, the Son of David. He stays not the fury of Herod, who plots his Death--but
meekly flees into Egypt, like some helpless bondsman, escaping the threats of a
tyrant lordling. But, it is under such apparent weakness as this, that He will
show His Divinity to men, and He the Infant-God prove Himself the Strong God.
Herod will pass away, so will his tyranny; Jesus will live, greater in His
Crib, where be makes a King tremble, than is, under his borrowed majesty, this
prince-tributary of Rome; nay, than Caesar-Augustus himself, whose world-wide
empire has no other destiny than this--to serve as handmaid to the Church,
which is to be founded by this Babe, whose name stands humbly written in the
official registry of Bethlehem.
Prayer:
With these praises, which the venerable ages of old offered to
thee, O Prince and First of Martyrs! we presume to unite ours. Fervently do we
congratulate thee, that thou hast had assigned thee, by the Church, the place
of honour at the Crib of our Jesus. How glorious the confession thou didst make
of His Divinity, whilst thy executioners were stoning thee! How rich and bright
the scarlet thou art clad in, for thy victory! How honourable the wounds thou
didst receive for Christ! How immense, and yet how choice, that army of
Martyrs, which follows thee as its leader, and to which fresh recruits will for
ever be added, to the end of time!
Holy Martyr! help
us, by thy prayers, to enter into the spirit of the mystery of the Word made
Flesh, now that we are celebrating the Birth of our Saviour. Thou art the
faithful guardsman of His Crib; who could better lead us to the Divine Babe,
that lies there? Thou didst bear testimony to His Divinity and Humanity; thou
didst preach this Man God before the blaspheming Synagogue. In vain did the
Jews stop their ears; they could not stifle thy voice, which charged them with
deicide, in that they had put to death Him, who is at once the Son of Mary and
the Son of God. Show this Redeemer to us also, not, indeed, standing in glory
at the right hand of his Father, but the sweet and humble Babe, as He now
manifests Himself to the world, into which He has just been born, wrapped in
swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger. We, too, wish to bear witness to Him,
and to tell how His Birth is one of love and mercy; we wish to show, by our
lives, that He has been born in our hearts. Obtain for us that devotedness to
the Divine Infant, which gave thee such courage on the day of trial: we shall
have devotedness, if, like thee, we are simple-hearted and fearless in our love
of Jesus; for love is stronger than death. May we never forget, that every
Christian ought to be ready for martyrdom, simply because he is a Christian.
May the life of Christ, which has again begun within us, so grow within us, by
our fidelity and our conduct, that we may come, as the Apostle expresses it, to
the fullness of Christ (Eph. iv. 13).
But, be mindful, O
glorious Martyr! be mindful of the Holy Church in those countries, where it is
the will of God that she resist even unto blood. May the number of thy fellow-martyrs
be thus filled up, and let not one of the combatants grow faint-hearted. May
every age and sex be staunch; that so, the testimony may be perfect, and the
Church, even in her old age, win immortal laurels and crowns, as in the
freshness of her infancy, when she had such a champion as thyself. But, pray,
too, that the blood of these Martyrs may be fruitful, as it was in times past;
pray that it be not wasted, but become the seed of abundant harvests. May
infidelity lose ground, and heresy cease to canker those noble hearts, who,
once in the Truth, would be the glory and consolation of the Church. Our own
dear Land has had her Martyrs, who, in the hope that God would avenge their
blood by restoring her to the Faith, gladly suffered and died--oh! Prince of
Martyrs! pray, that this their hope may be speedily fulfilled.
