12/17/00: Stethoscope, Hidden Meaning

Hi,

I hope everything is going well, and that you're not too stressed with your
Christmas shopping and other things. In case I do not get a chance to see
you over the Christmas holidays or talk to you in person, I wish you a
great Christmas and New Year's. Please remember the real meaning of
Christmas! It is very easy to get caught up in all the commercialism
during the Christmas season. But for me, the purpose of Christmas is to
celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, who came on earth to die for our sins.
If you get a chance to sing some of the Christmas carols, I would encourage
you to think about the meaning of the lyrics.

Again, I'll be in New York City from 12/20 to 1/6, so I won't be sending
out my weekly emails until I get back. It was in the mid 70's and sunny
with a clear blue sky today in LA. I hope it won't be too cold in NY. My
blood has already thinned out.

I finally watched "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" this past weekend. I
thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

This week's thought provoking question is: "If you could hire any
architect alive or from history to design your dream house, who would you
pick, and where would you build it?"

Anna Man and Jennifer Deniega forwarded the humor and inspirational pieces,
respectively.

Enjoy!

-Josh.
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Stethoscope

On the way to preschool, the doctor had left her stethoscope on the car
seat, and her little girl picked it up and began playing with it.

"Be still, my heart," thought the doctor, "my daughter wants to follow in
my footsteps!"

Then the child spoke into the instrument, "Welcome to McDonald's. May I
take your order?"
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Hidden Meaning

People often think of The Twelve Days of Christmas as the days preceding
the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that
last for 12 days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 the Day
of Epiphany when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the
light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi.

>From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practice their
faith openly. During this era someone wrote 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'
as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of
persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface
meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church.

Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.
1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the torah (Law) the first five books of the
Old Testament.
6. The six geese alaying stand for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans aswimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
8. The eight maids amilking are the eight beatitudes. (Matthew v, 312)
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit. (Gal.5).
10. The ten lords aleaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the
Apostles Creed.

There you have it, the HIDDEN meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and
the secret behind the song. Received this from a friend and it gave new
meaning to the song we sing at this time of year. Hope you find this as
"New/Old Meaning" to the season.