The Twelve Days of Christmas: The Eleventh Day

Reflecting on The Second Sunday after Christmas Day: Two Days After Sunday (Year C)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 72

Old Testament: Isaiah 6:1-5

Epistle: Acts 7:44-53

___

Prayer

God of delight, your Wisdom sings your Word at the crossroads where humanity and divinity meet. Invite us into your joyful being where you know and are known in each beginning, in all sustenance, in every redemption, that we may manifest your unity in the diverse ministries you entrust to us, truly reflecting your triune majesty in the faith that acts, in the hope that does not disappoint, and in the love that endures. Amen.

___

Reflection

January 4th is the Eleventh Day of Christmas. The eleven pipers piping represent the eleven original Apostles, not including Judas Iscariot. Judas was excluded because of his betrayal of Jesus. Checklists offers the following information about the eleven Apostles:

• Simon (whom Jesus named Peter)—Peter belonged to the inner group of Apostles. He was present at the Transfiguration.

• Andrew—A disciple of John the Baptist, Andrew heard him refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Andrew asked for an audience and saw Jesus for a day, then proclaimed, “We have found the Messiah.”

• James (the greater) son on Zebedee—He, with his elder brother John and with Peter, constituted the privileged group—the inner circle of the disciples. James was present at the Transfiguration.

• John—He was one of the inner circle with Peter and James. John is the author of the Fourth Gospel, the Book of Revelation and the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John.

• Philip—He is the Apostle from Bethsaida. At the feeding of the 5,000 people, Jesus said to Phillip to buy bread, and Phillip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.”

• Bartholomew—According to the historian Eusebius, when Pantainus of Alexandria visited India between 150 and 200 A. D., he found there the Gospel according to Matthew left behind by Bartholomew one of the Apostles.

• Matthew—Matthew was the evangelist who was a Jew and a tax-collector referred to as Levi before he was called by Christ, whom be followed. He is the author of the First Gospel.

• Thomas—Thomas doubted the resurrection of Christ unless he were to touch the wounds of the Risen Lord, but later confessed his faith in Him.

• James son of Alphaeus—Nothing is known of him.

• Simon—He was called Cananaean and Zealot, two terms of the same Hebrew word. In the New Testament, Simon was identified with Simon the Apostle.

• Judas, or Jude, son of James—Judas is so also is known as Thaddaeus or Lebbacus was the brother of James and Jesus. Jude is the author of the Epistle of Jude.

The Eleventh Day of Christmas is also the feast day of St. Simon Stylites, an ascetic monk who lived on top of a small pillar for thirty-seven years. His life inspired many ascetics after him to live atop pillars (stylites) as well.

___

Check out my author page on Amazon here.