The 5th Day of Christmas
The 12 Days of Christmas: Days 1-4
[I am recycling last year’s “12 Days of Christmas,” which I had a lot of fun doing. Here it is!]
Click the links…
christ the one savior
the two testaments
the three magi
the four canonical gospels
Epiphany Blessing of the Home
Today is the Feast of Our Lord’s Epiphany in the old calendar and also a non-standard feast of the 3 Magi. Following is a home blessing, which originated in eastern Europe and has spread throughout the world, even to Protestant churches. Just as the Wise Men visited the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we invite them to visit our own homes to ask for their intercession. This is important as we are living in an increasingly hostile world. It is also a wonderful way to show our children trust in Christ and the riches of the Holy Catholic Faith!
It’s okay if you can’t get to this tonight! The traditional “Cycle of Christmas” ends roughly with the Feast of the Presentation (Purification, “Candelmas”), February 2nd. Any time till then would be appropriate.
Here is a video of 2 priests at a Canadian parish, performing the blessing…
A House Blessing For the Epiphany
+ + +
Epiphany Yearly Blessing of the Home
You will need white chalk (chalk is often blessed by a priest at the Epiphany Mass) and holy water. The following prayers and format are based on traditional sources of information. The family gathers around a statue or holy image. All bless themselves with holy water. Generally, the father of the home leads in the following prayers…
Leader: Peace be to this house.
All: And to all that dwell herein.
Leader: From the east the Magi came to Bethlehem to adore the Lord, and opening their treasures, they offered costly gifts: gold to the great King, incense to the true God and myrrh in symbol of His burial. Alleluia!
All: My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
All: From the east the Magi came to Bethlehem to adore the Lord, and opening their treasures, they offered costly gifts: gold to the great King, incense to the true God and myrrh in symbol of His burial. Alleluia!
Leader: Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation…
All: But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Leader: Many shall come from Saba.
All: Bearing gold and incense.
Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come unto thee.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal Thy Sole-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, grant that we who now know Thee by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of Thy Heavenly Majesty. Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord. Be enlightened, be enlightened O Jerusalem! For thy Light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary.
All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy Light and kings in the splendor of thy rising and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.
Leader: Let us pray. Bless, O Lord, Almighty God, this home that it be the shelter of health, chastity, self-conquest, humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the Commandments, and thanksgiving to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. May this blessing remain for all time upon this dwelling and upon all who live herein. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The family proceeds to the main entrance of the home. The leader writes the following above the door with the chalk (this can be done on the outside or inside of the home). The digits represent the number of the new year. The crosses represent the 4 seasons. The initials represent the Latin phrase “Christus Mansionem Benedicat,” (Christ Bless this Home). They also represent the names of the 3 Magi. Above the inscription, a cross is made with holy water.
+
20 + C + M + B + __
Leader: Christus Mansionem Benedicat! Saints Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, pray for us!
All: Amen!
The family may finish the devotion with a hymn, such as “We Three Kings of Orient Are.”
Printable Version PDF
12th Day of Christmas
12 Fruits of the Holy Ghost
Benignity
Charity ~ Chastity ~ Continence
+ Faith ~ Goodness ~ Joy ~ Long-Suffering +
Mildness ~ Modesty
Patience ~ Peace
(Alphabetical helps memorize!)
Come Holy Ghost
(Traditional Hymn-to the best of my research, authorship goes to Lambillotte, Caswall & Maurus)
Partial artwork by Ronald St. Martin at innerwindows.net.
11th Day of Christmas
Eleven Faithful Apostles
1 ~ Andrew: First Apostle, Brother of Peter
2 ~ Bartholomew: Friend of Philip
3 ~ James the Greater: Brother of John
4 ~ James the Less: Relative of Christ, Brother of Jude, Author of Epistle
5 ~ John: “The Beloved,” Brother of James the Greater, Author of Gospel, 3 Epistles & Apocalypse
6 ~ Jude: “Thaddeus,” Relative of Christ, Brother of James the Less, Author of Epistle
7 ~ Matthew: “Levi,” Author of Gospel
8 ~ Peter: “Simon,” First Vicar of Christ, Brother of Andrew, Author of 2 Epistles
9 ~ Philip: Friend of Bartholomew
10 ~ Simon: “The Zealot,” Relative of Christ
11 ~ Thomas: “Didymus” (the twin), Doubter of Christ
(Names are in alphabetical order-this helps to memorize them!)
Image from familyatthefootofthecross.blogspot.com
9th Day of Christmas
Dominions are also called “Dominations.”
A Sermon of Pope Saint Gregory the Great
Angels We Have Heard on High
This song originated as a French Christmas carol.
Image from Maria Sophia at Pinterest
8th Day of Christmas
The Eight Beatitudes
From Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount
1 ~ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2 ~ Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
3 ~ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
4 ~ Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
5 ~ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
6 ~ Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
7 ~ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
8 ~ Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
For more on the “Sermon on the Mount,” please see Lesson 4, Part 2B-Prepper Rosary Program.
Partial artwork by Bill Bell-buy here!
January is the Month of the Holy Name of Jesus
~ 2022 ~
"This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein."
Psalms 117:24
[Edited since posting.]
Holy Mother Church begins the new year honoring Our Lady as “Mother of God.” What could be more consoling or joyful? If she has this new year in her hands, what have we to fear? If we honor her this day, surely graces will come upon us and our families, even if hard times are ahead. Though it is not a holy day of obligation in the US, why would we want to miss this opportunity to flee to her at the outset of the year, showing our love for her and making reparation to her Immaculate Heart? And what a wonderful time to begin the Communion of Reparation 5 First Saturdays! January 1st also commemorates Our Lord’s first shedding of blood, his circumcision at 8 days old, in the old calendar. This is also the moment He received His Holy Name in the Temple, not to be confused with the Presentation, which was 40 days after birth. We are still in the Cycle of Christmas and remain joyful that a Savior has been given to us!
We celebrate 6 Doctors of the Church this month. On the 2nd, St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen share the day. They were actually friends and colleagues, along with Basil’s brother St. Gregory of Nyssa. The 3 are referred to as “The Three Cappadocians,” as they were all influential early theologians. Each month, I have been researching the best known works of the Doctors, along with how you can obtain them. This takes time to do the research and get you the best resources. I will continue to do so as time allows (which is not tonight), otherwise I will simply provide links to the Catholic Encyclopedia. Remember, it would take 35 years to read each of the Doctors, if you read one per year!
The 22nd is the 49th Anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion in all 50 states. Lord, have mercy. Many of you do not need this reminder, but if you have not been active in the pro-life movement, please pray on it and consider getting involved. All human rights are currently being eroded before our very eyes, which was predictable when the fundamental right to life was taken from the unborn. When you defend them, you defend our whole future!
Nomen Chisti Apostolate is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus and Our Lady of Fatima. “Nomen Christi” means “Name of Christ” in Latin. How can we honor His Name this month? There are many ways to do so….attending Mass on the feast, prayers and devotions and considering how we defend His Name when it is disrespected in our presence…please see The Second Commandment-What Does it Mean to Us?
The following is a partial listing of old and new feasts this month, for your consideration. Where “old” or “new” is indicated, it is the second occurring feast. Please consult your own calendars for more detail…
1/1-CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD / MARY HOLY MOTHER OF GOD / First Saturday
1/2-EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD / MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS / St. Basil the Great, Doctor of the Church / St. Gregory Nazianzen, Doctor of the Church
1/3-MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS (new)
1/4-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, First American Saint
1/5-St. John Neumann
1/6-EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD (trad) / Sts. Caspar, Balthasar & Melchior, the Three Magi (non-standard)
1/7-First Friday
1/9-BAPTISM OF OUR LORD / THE HOLY FAMILY
1/13-BAPTISM OF OUR LORD (trad) / St. Hilary of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church
1/14-St. Hilary of Poitiers (trad)
1/21-St. Agnes, Martyr, invoked in Canon
1/22-+++Anniversary of US Court Decision Roe vs. Wade, Day of Prayer for Unborn+++
1/24-St. Timothy, Disciple of St. Paul / St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church
1/25-Conversion of St. Paul
1/26-Sts. Timothy & Titus, Disciples of St. Paul / St. Polycarp, Martyr
1/27-St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church
1/28-St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church
1/29-St. Francis de Sales (trad)
1/31-St. John Bosco, Founder of the Salesian Society
Image from cornerstonepca.com
7th Day of Christmas
Fortitude ~ Temperance ~ Faith ~ Charity ~ Hope ~ Justice ~ Prudence
The Seven (Traditional) Virtues
The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope & Charity
The Four Cardinal Virtues: Fortitude, Temperance, Justice & Prudence
There are also the Seven Capital Virtues: Chastity, Generosity, Temperance, Brotherly Love, Meekness, Humility & Diligence
Catholic Bible 101: The Virtues
The paintings above, “The Seven Virtues,” were commissioned by a 15th century Italian courthouse. Strangely, the first, “Fortitude,” was painted by Sandro Botticelli (it is considered his first masterpiece) and the rest by Piero and Antonio Pollaiuolo. For a wonderful article, with detailed descriptions and theological discussion, please see portraitofasometimeslady.com.