Happy second day of Christmas!! Joy to the World the Lord has come! We have 12 days to celebrate such a wonderful feast. Find lots of links and projects for the 12 days of Christmas HERE on our Christmas Page. Here is a section from the 12 Days of Christmas Download over at Casica Books:
The 12 Days of Christmas
Now that Christmas Day has come, we get to enjoy the Christmas festivities for another 12 days! Christmas has not ended with Christmas Day, but rather, has only begun! Every day there is something special to remember and celebrate.
You are all familiar with the Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. This song was not just a "nonsense‟ song written for fun, but instead was written for a much more important reason. Between the years 1558 and 1829, it was a crime to be a Catholic in England – a crime that was punishable by death. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written to help young Catholics learn the main points of their Faith, since to be caught with anything in writing that showed that one was a Catholic could very well have meant death.
There are hidden meanings throughout each point of the song. The „true love‟ refers to God, our Heavenly Father, Who is Love. „Me‟ refers to every baptized person.
December 26 – On the First Day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me....
A partridge in a pear tree
The partridge refers to Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who died on a wooden cross to save us from our sins and open the gates of Heaven.
“Sweet Infant Jesus, make us love Thee more and more.”
The Feast of St. Stephen
The name Stephen means, "crown‟. St. Stephen was the very first of Christ‟s followers to receive the crown of martyrdom. As the number of Christians began to grow, Peter and the other Apostles decided they needed to appoint some people to the care of widows and the poor. St. Stephen is the best known of the seven deacons who were given this duty.
St. Stephen performed many miracles by the grace of God. He spoke with great wisdom and grace so that many people became followers of Christ. This made the enemies of the Christians furious. So, they decided to plot against him. When they couldn't answer his good arguments, they had men lie about him, saying that he spoke sinfully against God. St. Stephen was not afraid – the Bible says his face looked like that of an angel.
Speaking about Jesus, St. Stephen told the Jews that He was the Saviour God had promised to send. He scolded them for not believing in Jesus. They rose in anger, shouting at him. Looking up to Heaven, he said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. The hearers plugged their ears and would not listen to another word. Dragging him out of the city, they threw stones at him until he died. Before he died though, he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”, and falling to his knees he begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him.
When we are hurt by the words and actions of others, let’s remember St. Stephen, and ask him to help us forgive from our heart those who hurt us. Dear St. Stephen, please pray for me that I may always fully forgive those who hurt me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Today, we can also remember Good King Wenceslaus, who "looked out on the Feast of Stephen‟ and gave food to a needy person. What better day to sing this Christmas song than today?
The 12 Days of Christmas
Now that Christmas Day has come, we get to enjoy the Christmas festivities for another 12 days! Christmas has not ended with Christmas Day, but rather, has only begun! Every day there is something special to remember and celebrate.
You are all familiar with the Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. This song was not just a "nonsense‟ song written for fun, but instead was written for a much more important reason. Between the years 1558 and 1829, it was a crime to be a Catholic in England – a crime that was punishable by death. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written to help young Catholics learn the main points of their Faith, since to be caught with anything in writing that showed that one was a Catholic could very well have meant death.
There are hidden meanings throughout each point of the song. The „true love‟ refers to God, our Heavenly Father, Who is Love. „Me‟ refers to every baptized person.
December 26 – On the First Day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me....
A partridge in a pear tree
The partridge refers to Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who died on a wooden cross to save us from our sins and open the gates of Heaven.
“Sweet Infant Jesus, make us love Thee more and more.”
The Feast of St. Stephen
The name Stephen means, "crown‟. St. Stephen was the very first of Christ‟s followers to receive the crown of martyrdom. As the number of Christians began to grow, Peter and the other Apostles decided they needed to appoint some people to the care of widows and the poor. St. Stephen is the best known of the seven deacons who were given this duty.
St. Stephen performed many miracles by the grace of God. He spoke with great wisdom and grace so that many people became followers of Christ. This made the enemies of the Christians furious. So, they decided to plot against him. When they couldn't answer his good arguments, they had men lie about him, saying that he spoke sinfully against God. St. Stephen was not afraid – the Bible says his face looked like that of an angel.
Speaking about Jesus, St. Stephen told the Jews that He was the Saviour God had promised to send. He scolded them for not believing in Jesus. They rose in anger, shouting at him. Looking up to Heaven, he said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. The hearers plugged their ears and would not listen to another word. Dragging him out of the city, they threw stones at him until he died. Before he died though, he said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”, and falling to his knees he begged God not to punish his enemies for killing him.
When we are hurt by the words and actions of others, let’s remember St. Stephen, and ask him to help us forgive from our heart those who hurt us. Dear St. Stephen, please pray for me that I may always fully forgive those who hurt me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Today, we can also remember Good King Wenceslaus, who "looked out on the Feast of Stephen‟ and gave food to a needy person. What better day to sing this Christmas song than today?
