DELIBERATELY DIVERSE | by the Rev. Terry Pierce
Deliberately Diverse represents the individual thoughts and opinions of a group of Taylor friends who almost never completely agree about anything but enjoy diverse discussions in our beloved community.
Today’s column represents the thoughts and opinions of The Reverend Terry Pierce, vicar of St.
James’ Episcopal Church in Taylor.
Forty is a significant number throughout the Bible. It rained on Noah’s ark for 40 days and nights. The Israelites ate manna for 40 years as they searched for the land of milk and honey. Moses spent 40 days and nights on the mountain with the Lord. Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.
These are just a few.
Forty signifies a period of transformation, often a time of new growth and new life. So what about the 40 days after Christmas?
We start with the 12 nights and days of Christmas.
In medieval times, this was a period of feasting that culminated in the celebration of the 12th night. As Christmas begins on the evening of Dec. 24, the first night of Christmas is Dec. 25. The first day of Christmas follows on Dec. 26. The 12th night of Christmas, then is the evening of Jan. 5, followed by the 12th day of Christmas, Jan. 6 or Epiphany. So, if you haven’t given your true love all those presents recalled in “The 12 Days of Christmas”, there is still time.
Epiphany marks the arrival of the Magi or three wise men who followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. There they found Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The significance of the Epiphany is the manifestation of God to the world, including to these wise men who acknowledged Christ’s divinity.
In some cultures, gift-giving occurs on Epiphany, or the Feast of the Three Kings, rather than on Christmas Day, remembering the gifts the wise men brought. Another tradition is to bless our houses with chalk, writing 20+C+M+B +24 on the doorpost as a blessing. The letters have two meanings.
They represent the initials of the traditional names of the Wise Men (Caspar, Malchior and Balthazar) and they abbreviate the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat “May Christ bless the house.” Following the 12 days of Christmas and Epiphany, there are 28 days to Feb. 2, which is celebrated as Candlemas. Candlemas celebrates the day that Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, would have gone to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, Jesus, and to present him to God as her firstborn.
On Candlemas, some Christians take their candles to their local church where they are blessed for use for the rest of the year. These candles serve as symbols of Christ, the Light of the world. As we make room for Jesus in our hearts on Christmas Day, I invite you to spend these 40 days after Christmas being transformed by the light and love Jesus brought to the world.
