Because the use of eggs was forbidden during Lent, they were brought to the table on Easter Day, coloured red to symbolize the Easter joy.So there is a reason for eating eggs at easter! It's meant to symbolize both joy, and new life. When somebody points out that you're eating too many eggs this year, you'll be able to tell them exactly why. Try it - you might surprise someone with your knowledge!
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance.You may have heard the saying "dust to dust, ashes to ashes". This is taken from the words spoken during the placing of the ashes. The actual words spoken are "Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return." And I like the Latin translation: "Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris."
So, you've all had a go at the Australia Day Quiz? If you haven't, there's still time - before you continue reading this post, checkout the quiz page, and then drop by and leave a comment to let everyone know how you went.
We've reached the Epiphany, which is the last day in our song - the Twelfth Day of Christmas. The "twelve drummers drumming" in today's verse were chosen to express the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles’ Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
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!
Twelve Drummers Drumming
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight maids a milking
Seven Swans a swimming
Six geese a laying
Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three french hens
Two turtle doves
A partridge in a pear treeToday is the second-last day in our song - the Eleventh Day of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
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.
Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas, the third-last day of the season. The "ten lords a-leaping" represent the Ten Commandments. Special merit for anyone who can remember all ten in order!On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
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.
Today is the Ninth Day of Christmas. Only 4 more days until the Epiphany! The "nine ladies dancing" are symbols the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
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.
Today is the Eighth Day of Christmas. The "eight maids a-milking" reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent 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.
Today is the Seventh Day of Christmas. The "seven swans a-swimming" refer to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
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.
Today is the Sixth Day of Christmas. The "six geese a-laying" are symbolic of the six days of creation, the biblical account in which God creates the universe and it's inhabitants.On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Today is the Fifth Day of Christmas. Everyone should remember this verse! The well-known "five golden rings" represent the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah or the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Today is the Fourth Day of Christmas. In this verse, The "four calling birds" refers to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—which sing the song of salvation through Jesus Christ.On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Today is the Third Day of Christmas. In this verse, the "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love—the three gifts of the Spirit that abide (1 Corinthians 13).On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Today is the Second Day of Christmas. In this verse, the "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments.On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you are filled with the peace and joy of the season, as we celebrate the birth of Christ over 2000 years ago. So this song that we sing today as a simple game was originally a teaching tool! The song begins like this:Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic until Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a coded-message, a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young Catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song.
"The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each of the items in the song represents something significant to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help Catholic children learn their faith. The better acquainted one is with the Bible, the more these interpretations have significance.
The first day, of course, is Christmas itself. But the "true love" referred to is no earthly love. The song refers here to God himself, who is the "true love" of every Christian. This is the foundation of the song, on which every other verse builds.On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
"Submission" is the title I chose for this photo in a recent photography competition. I don't know exactly why, but it seems to fit the photo somehow. Perhaps it's the modest curve of the leaves, which give it a rather frail and gentle air. This is another one of my Goomburra shots, taken while walking to the Cascades.
