On the 3^rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me, three French hens . . .

We’re all familiar with the “Twelve Days of Christmas.”  I’ve sung it many times, usually struggling to remember exactly which gifts matched each of the days.  Think about it for a moment, what unwieldy gifts for a true love to give!   They would take up a great deal of room and be a bit “messy.” Would you really appreciate blackbirds, hens, geese and swans romping about to the tune of eleven bagpipes and twelve drummers?  We can’t forget that nine ladies will be dancing about your house, while ten lords do their “leaping.”  Yikes! Then there’s the cost.   If each gift is delivered just once (no repetitions as in the song), the cost in today’s dollars is about $39,000.   No thanks.

Some say that the song, with its twelve days, was meant as a “catechism of sort” sung during the nearly 300 years of the British persecution of Catholics.  Each gift had a hidden meaning.  The three French hens are said to represent faith, hope and love.

Our season of Christmas begins on Christmas Eve and continues for twelve days until Epiphany.  The third day of Christmas on our liturgical calendar is the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist.   We remember John as a man of faith.  He believed that Jesus was who He said He was, the Messiah.  John surely had hope. When he stood at the foot of the cross, comforting Mary, he had to have hope that the cross was not the end.  John was the beloved.  John loved Jesus as his Messiah, but also as his friend.  Faith, hope and love! 

Our heavenly Father in his unconditional love has blessed us with these gifts.  They’re ours to share. 

I hope you’ll enjoy this rendition of the song “Faith, Hope and Love” sung by the Bristol Youth Choir.

Judy