Four Calling Birds
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, four calling birds.
Continuing on our journey through The Twelve Days of Christmas, we come to the gift of four calling birds, or in the Christian world what we refer to as the four Gospels. Just as the angels announced to the shepherds the good news of the birth of Christ, the four evangelists announced the same to the world through their preaching and writing. Though all four proclaim the same Gospel, each of them does so with an emphasis on a particular aspect of the mystery of the Incarnation.
The symbol of Matthew’s Gospel is a man, which reminds us of his emphasis on Christ’s humanity. The essence of the Incarnation is that God becomes man without the loss of his divinity. Matthew also links Jesus again and again to Moses and the story of the Exodus.
The symbol of Mark’s Gospel is a lion, which can be seen as a symbol of Christ as king. Mark’s Gospel also begins with a description of John the Baptist, the voice crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. John comes onto the scene like a roaring lion, proclaiming the coming of the messiah. The symbol of the lion is often associated with courage and ought to remind Christians to have the same sort of courage John the Baptist had when living our faith.
The symbol of Luke’s Gospel is a bull, which recalls the sacrifices made by the priests of the old covenant. Luke’s Gospel reminds Christians that Christ himself is the sacrifice of the new covenant. His death on the cross is the final and perpetual sacrifice that opens for us the way to salvation. We as Christians are called to unite ourselves Christ in daily sacrifice.
The symbol of John’s Gospel is the eagle. John’s Gospel begins with a description of the eternal Word of God and in many ways has been seen to soar high above the earth in the theology presented. The eagle can be seen to represent Christ’s divinity. This symbol should remind Christians to keep their eyes fixed upward toward heaven.
Perhaps a good way to continue the celebration of Christmas today is to read from your favorite Gospel. My favorite one is Mark, whose writing reminds me of an action thriller. Which is your favorite?
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