The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day 2
“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr
December 26
Reflections for the Twelve Days of Christmas
Day 2: ‘Two Turtle Doves’
Dear Faithful in Christ,
Grace and Peace to you this solemn feast of Saint Stephen. Follow me on this second day of Christmastide reflections.
Day TWO: Turtle doves are long-distance migratory birds that travel through Europe and Africa. They live committed monogamous lives dedicated to their partner. They exemplify love and loyalty.
In our Holy Scriptures, we have two Testaments as a bonded pair, the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is the account of the covenant forged by God with humanity. This covenant is strengthened in ways that could only be done through Jesus, the Messiah. We also find other, practical, examples of loyalty in Scriptures. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are literally made for and from one another. A pair so deeply connected that the very fabric of their being was the same. Marriage is expounded upon that as two join together, they become one! There is a holiness in pairing as the foundation for grasping true relationship. While ‘one’ often represents ‘singular’ or ‘unity,’ the quantity ‘two’ signifies ‘relationship’ and ‘community.’ The term “community” suggests that unity is formed between separate beings through common attributes or characteristics, individually or culturally.
Humanity was designed with diversity. In our varied ways of life, we were inherently made in God’s image. As we wrestle to build up the kingdom of heaven on earth, joining in our Lord’s work to draw forth the new heaven and new earth, may we cherish differences between one another while remembering our common ground. Keeping our loyalty to God will establish for us the groundwork to build community in ways that supports and encourage one another as we share in this earthly pilgrimage.
Turtle doves travel far to maintain mutual support and relationships. Christ Jesus traveled further into humanity in faithfulness to God’s covenant with humankind.
“What greater cause is there of the Lord’s coming than to show God’s love for us?” ~ Saint Augustine
The God of Love and Peace be with you,
Fr. Michael
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ”
A Collect for Saint Stephen
The Book of Common Prayer, 186
We give the thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to thy Son Jesus Christ, who standeth at thy right hand; where he liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
