SUNDAY OF THE ANCESTORS
DECEMBER 20, 2020
Saturday, Dec. 19
4:00PM ✞ Eugene Slabinski – Dolores Slabinski
Sunday, Dec. 20 SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
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Thursday, Dec. 24 VIGIL OF CHRISTMAS – Christmas Eve
4:00 PM Great Compline – Z Namy Boh – Litia Service
Divine Liturgy
God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
Myrovonia – Anointing with Holy Oil
Friday, Dec. 25 NATIVITY OF OUR LORD – Christmas DaY
8:30 AM Divine Liturgy
God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
Myrovonia – (Anointing with Holy Oil)
Saturday, Dec. 26 SYNAXIS OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
9:00 AM At Transfiguration of Our Lord, Nanticoke, PA
Saturday, Dec. 26 St. Stephen the Fist Martyr
4:00 PM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
God’s Blessings for Gary & Jacinta, Allison, Brent, Cameron, & Matthew – The Poullard Family
Sunday, Dec. 27 SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
ST. STEPHEN THE FIRST MARTYR
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
THIS IS CHRISTMAS:
Not the tinsel, not the receiving, not even the carols,
but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift
The Christ. A Savior.
To watch and guide and love us through all eternity.
As you give praise and glory to God,
May His peace and favor rest upon you and
your loved ones, today and always
The Twelve Days of Christmas Meanings
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out.
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.
-Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.
-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
-The 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.
-The eight maids’ a-milking was 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.
-The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.
So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Prayer of Good Wishes
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary,
the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds,
the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ child.
Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever.
