‘Twelve Days’

A sample from Book 2

 Twelve Days†
  
 an english raid
catholics to fade
 queen elizabeth invade
  
 hidden christmas stage
counted twelve days
  
 jesuit priests...for God† be brave
 shh...can't right out say
 our true God's† way
  
 a secret betray
christmas melody wave
 God's† life engrave

 the children...learn His† way
  
 my true love
almighty God† to pave

 a partridge
in flesh He† gave

 a pear tree
a cross's blade
 an apple tree—
adam and eve to fade
 tree of knowledge—
good and evil spade
  
 two turtle doves
old, new
testaments made
  
 three french hens
hope, charity, faith
 blessed trinity colonnade
 gifts of the magi—

gold, frankincense, myrrh
 under the night's cape
  
 four calling birds
four gospels
 
 mark, luke
john, matthew

their humble hurry
  
 four major prophets

 isaiah, jeremiah
ezekiel, daniel 
 
 passing on our yesterday
  
 five golden rings
 five books of the old testament
 
 genesis, exodus
leviticus, numbers
deuteronomy

 our true maid
  
 God's† eternal stay
 nature, loving, faithfulness
 six geese a-laying
 creation of earth
in just six days
  
 seven swans a-swimming
 seven gifts of the holy spirit
  
 wisdom, understanding
 counsel (right judgment)
fortitude (courage)
 knowledge
piety (reverence)
 fear of the lord (awe of God†)

for us to praise
  
 our seven sacraments
 baptism
confession (sacrament of healing)
 communion, confirmation
marriage, holy orders
 death

a living portray
  
 our seven corporals
spiritual works of mercy  

 feed the hungry
give drink to the thirsty
 clothe the naked
shelter the homeless
 visit the sick
visit those in prison
bury the dead
  
 seven deadly sins 
 
 pride, covetousness, envy
 gluttony, anger, sloth, lust  

 we must stay away
  
 the seventh day
really is saturday
  
 eight maids a-milking
the eight beatitudes
  
 blessed are the poor in spirit—
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
 blessed are they that mourn—
for they shall be comforted
 blessed are the meek—
for they shall inherit the earth
 blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 
 after righteousness—
for they shall be filled
 blessed are the merciful—
for they shall obtain mercy
 blessed are the pure in heart—
for they shall see God†
 blessed are the peacemakers—
 for they shall be called the children of God†
 blessed are they which are
persecuted for righteousness' sake—
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
 blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, 
 and persecute you, and 
 shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My† sake
  
 nine ladies dancing
the nine choirs of angels
  
 seraphim, cherubim, thrones
dominions, virtues, powers
 principalities, archangels, angels
  
 ten lords a-leaping
the ten commands to obey 

 thou shalt have no other gods before Me†
 thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
 thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God† in vain 
 remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy
 honor thy father and thy mother
 thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery
 thou shalt not steal
 thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
 thou shalt not covet
  
 eleven pipers piping
eleven faithful apostles  

 simon peter
james (son of zebedee)
 john (son of zebedee)
andrew, phillip
 bartholomew
matthew (levi), thomas
 james (son of alphaeus)
 judas (thaddues/lebbaues, son of james)
simon (zealot)
  
 twelve drummers drumming
original apostles
  
 simon peter
james (son of zebedee)
 john (son of zebedee)
andrew, phillip
bartholomew
 matthew (levi), thomas
james (son of alphaeus)
 judas (thaddues/lebbaues, son of james)
 simon (zealot), judas iscariot
  
 twelve minor prophets of the old testament 

 hosea, joel, amos
obadiah, jonah, micah
 nahum, habakkuk, zephaniah
 haggai, zechariah, malachi
  
 twelve tribes of israel  
 asher, benjamin, dan, gad, issachar, joseph
 judah, levi, naphtali
 reuben, simeon, zebulun
  
 twelve fruits of the holy spirit  

 charity, joy, peace
patience, benignity, goodness
 long-suffering (patient suffering 
 over an extended
period mildness), faith, modesty
 contingency, chastity
  
 so they say
of the twelve days

(December 26, 2013)—[‘Twelve Days’ was written in 2010.] When I home schooled my children, this explanation of the 12 days of Christmas was in my young one’s history book. I always took the song as just that a song. But according to his book, it’s not just a song.

It was designed in France as a code to teach the children about our Lord when it was forbidden. I was stunned, amazed, bewildered for a long time; then one day, I sat down and wrote this piece. I am still in awe over it. I know all nursery rhymes which we read to our children are parables actually of really horrible things that have happened in history, the parables are passed down so the children never forget.

I don’t know why I didn’t post this before Christmas. I woke up this morning to get ready for work and came to check my book of faces and it came to mind. So, here it is. I guess it came to mind because the first thing that popped into my mind when my eyes opened was that Christmas day is over and my parents nor my siblings had the courage to phone me yesterday, for the second year in a row.

I was over all my anger when my children elected to watch The Nativity Story at 2 am in the morning on Christmas day. That story always brings us to tears. It is, I believe, the greatest movie ever filmed about the beginning of Christian life here on earth.

To understand the Jesuit priest who wrote the 12 Days of Christmas, who were persecuted in the name of HIM but refuse to bow down to a king, well, that’s the raw history of a Cajun in a nut shell. We are their decedents. A history to be proud of. A history that should give each one of us honor. Some of us have forgotten this. I have not.

Remember always…it’s not about expensive toys, diamonds and such…it’s always: Has been and will always be about Him and His father and mother. Amen.

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