Two Turtledoves
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two turtledoves.
Today’s symbol of two turtle doves stands for the Old and New Testament. With that in mind we might consider celebrating Christmas today by spending some time reading the Bible. I have two passages in mind for today. The first is taken from the Luke’s gospel and also relates to this verse of The Twelve Days of Christmas. In the second chapter of Luke we are given the account of Christ’s presentation in the temple.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. According to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. (Luke 2: 21-24)
The story of the presentation tells us a few more things about Jesus and his family. If we didn’t surmise it already, it indicates that this was a poor family. The offering of two turtledoves would have been offered by the poor who could not afford the offering of a lamb.
But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean. (Leviticus 12:8)
The account of the presentation also tells us the story of Simeon, and his proclamation of Jesus as the messiah.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. (Luke 2: 25-32)
A second passage that I might suggest for refection today comes from John’s gospel as today we celebrate the feast of St. John, the beloved disciple. As yesterday’s feast of St. Stephen and his martyrdom reminds us that the child Jesus is destined for crucifixion and death, the gospel account from today’s liturgy reminds us that he is also destined for resurrection.
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. (John 20: 1-8)
Like St. John and the first disciples, we are called to believe that for those who are willing to enter into death with Christ, we shall also rise with him. Christmas is the time we set aside each year to meditate on the Incarnation of Christ. We cannot fully do so without remembering that the baby we see in the crib came to suffer, die and to rise for our salvation.
What is your favorite passage of Scripture?
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