On the 8th day of Christmas
My True Love gave to me
Eight Maids a Milking,
Seven Swans a swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
It’s the 2nd day of January, but it’s the 8th day of the 12 days of Christmas! AND, it’s my sister Phyllis’ birthday! I’ll not post her age…let’s just say she’s older than me and I hit 60 this next year!!
The 12 Days of Christmas is a song that is learned over the 12 days between Christmas day and Epiphany. Epiphany is the “revealing” of Jesus…historically and biblically linked to the visit of the Magi in Matthew 2.
This song was taught by clerics at a time in which teaching faith to the faithful was outlawed, and so each day, and the number, related to some aspect of the faith…The true love is God, the days end each time the same way with Jesus, the partridge in the pear tree.
On day eight, the maids-a-milking stood for the eight blessings spoken by Christ in his teaching on the mountain (the Sermon on the Mount).
Our Readings:
Matthew 5:1-12 (NASB)
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 16:13-18 (NIV)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
A Meditation:
Jesus came to show us the “father’s heart”. God is incarnated – made flesh – in the birth of Jesus; and Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Think about the word Jesus uses in both the 8 blessings of Matt. 5 and the words to Simon Peter as he responds to the truth of who Jesus is. He uses the word “blessed”, the greek word is makarios, which means “happy”, “fortunate”, and implies the benefit of God’s grace. Looking at the list of the blessings in Matthew 5, we would more likely to look at those things as “unfortunate”, “unhappy” events: “poor in spirit, mourn, meek, hunger and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for righteousness”…How many want to line up for those things?
Maids-a-milking refers to one of the lowliest of jobs in England during these times. This day is a reminder that God’s heart is for the servant, the person willing to live for the righteousness of God. While the world may tread on all of those things, God finds them highly treasured.
Prayer:
“Father, at the beginning of this new year, when we’re prone to make resolutions, plans, and create goals for the year ahead; remind us that what you value in hearts and souls is the heart of the servant. I want to serve you today, and this year, and need the work of your Holy Spirit to continually draw me back to what you value the most. In Jesus’ name I pray…Amen.”
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